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Coll 5/48 ‘Afghanistan: Supply of military aircraft to the Afghan Government; Supply of maps etc. to the Afghan Govt.’ [‎46r] (91/1019)

The record is made up of 1 file (508 folios). It was created in 25 Jan 1935-28 Feb 1936. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

Transcription

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f
%
Gopj'
(N 1637/2/97)
The Afghan Minister and the Commandant of the Afghan
Air Force, Muhammad Ihsan Khan, called yesterday afternoon
and had a conversation with Mr. Collier, Mr. Rumbold of the
India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. , Squadron Leader Darvell of the Air Ministry and
Mr. Burrows also being present.
Mr. Collier explained to the Afghan Minister what His
Majesty’s Government and the Government of India were now able
to offer in the way of credit facilities for the purchase of
aircraft, training of Afghan pilots and mechanics in India,
and the supply of British instructors etc., for the Afghan Air
Force as set out in the attached draft note, and said that he
understood from previous conversation with the Afghan Minister
that the Afghan Government would be prepared to pay in cash now
a sufficient sum to make up the total price of Hawkers’ contract.
The Afghan Minister added that he deeply appreciated everything
that had been done for Muhammad Ihsan by the Air Ministry and
the trouble which had been taken to make the present offer
possible. His Government would accept the offer with pleasure.
As regards the cash payment, he thought that Mmhammad Ihsan
had reduced the amount of equipment which he intended to buy
here to such an extent that the final price would probably be
not much more than £80,000 instead of £ 100,000 and there would
thus be little for the Afghan Government to make up. His only
stipulation was that the Air Miinistry should make some statement
to the effect that the aircraft etc., were in good condition.
Mir. Collier and Squadron Leader Darvell agreed that it would
be easy to say that the material had been inspected in the
same way as material for the Royal Air Force and that it could
probably be arranged for Hawkers to undertake liability in
the/

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Content

The file contains correspondence, notes, and records of meetings documenting negotiations between the British Government and the Government of India on the one hand, and the Government of Afghanistan on the other. The purpose of the negotiations was to facilitate the financing and purchase of military aircraft – and related equipment, weapons and ammunition – from British sources for the Afghan Air Force, and to provide for the provision of training for Afghan pilots and mechanics in India. The file also outlines the establishment of the Afghan reserve fund by the Government of India for the purpose of funding expenditure related to Afghanistan.

A tour (1936-37) by the Afghan Air Commandant, Ghund Mishar Muhammad Ihdan Khan, of India (Peshwar, Risalpur, and Karachi) and the United Kingdom is also documented in the file; the tour was undertaken at the invitation of the Government of India in order to demonstrate British aircraft and Royal Air Force ground operations. The file therefore includes a number of reports from British officers on the progress of the tour.

The main correspondents in the file are as follows: HM Minister in Kabul (Richard Roy Maconachie and William Kerr Fraser Tyler), officials of the Air Ministry, officials of the Foreign Office, officials of the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. , and representatives of the Foreign and Political Department (Department of External Affairs from 1937) of the Government of India. The file also contains a limited amount of correspondence with the Afghan Legation and representatives of Hawker Aircraft Limited, as the company chosen to supply the aircraft.

A sketch map of Afghanistan can be found on folio 490 illustrating the effective action of the Westland Wapiti from Kabul, Kandahar, Herat, and Farah.

The file includes a divider which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.

Extent and format
1 file (508 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the file.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 509; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.

Written in
English in Latin script
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Coll 5/48 ‘Afghanistan: Supply of military aircraft to the Afghan Government; Supply of maps etc. to the Afghan Govt.’ [‎46r] (91/1019), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2001, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100037374639.0x00005c> [accessed 15 May 2024]

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