Disclosure of Information Regarding Strengths of British Troops in India

COPY OUTWARD TELEGRAM W.S. 17088 From:Secretary of State for India To:Government of India, Defence Department. 5th April, 1947. IMPORTANT NO. 4457 Your No. 1341 dated 1st April. 1. The considered policy of H.M.G. is not to disclose total strength of British troops in individual theatres whether within or outside the British Commonwealth. On no account should information regarding numbers of British troops be disclosed. Information once disclosed is available to all countries. 2. I agree that, without giving the numbers of these troops, it will be difficult to provide complete information regarding expenditure on their account which is a charge against Indian revenues, but must remind you that in reply to question in Council of State, in regard, it is understood to Indian troops the Government of India have themselves recently expressed their agreement with the policy of not disclosing the strength of troops employed abroad.