'File 11/46 Publicity in the Persian Gulf' [‎104r] (207/314)

Publications Division
Progress Report No. 21 for the Period ending 31-3-46.
A. mm SITUATION.
1 . u.
No improvement has taken place in the situation
regarding the distribution of Indian publicity material in
the U.S.S.R. Briefly, the situation is that no distribution
of Government of India publicity material is carried out
by H. M. G.’s representatives there and that it has not so
far been possible for the Government of India even to
send a representative to the U.S.S.R. for the purpose of
exploring other avenues of distribution. On the other
h*Nd, the representatives of the Tass Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. in India
are not only allowed to move all over the country with
the greatest freedom, but are permitted to issue to the
Indian press publicity material received by cable from the
U. S. S. R. much of which strongly criticizes Britain and
6ther countries with whom India is in friendly relations.
Recently, this material has, however, been less openly
critical than previously.
New Time has published several articles about
India, all of them violently anti-British and none of them
noticeably pro-Indian in character.
2. Persia
With the withdrawal of the last Indian troops from
Persia and the preoccupation of the Persian people with
internal affairs and with the important part now being
taken by Persian affairs in world politics, interest in India
is somewhat difficult to stimulate. The disturbed situa*
ti^has considerably diminished sales of our publica
tions all over the country and particularly in the North-
•^/est. Reports have been received of sales agents being
' taken to task by the Soviet authorities for purveying pub
licity material distributed through British Channels. It is
hoped that since Indian material is no longer distributed
in this way, it has not come under the ban. On the
other hand, distribution through a Persian sales agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent.
has by no means turned out to be plain sailing.
A number of considerations, including the withdrawal
of Indian forces from Persia, the need for post-war
retrenchment and the present political situation have
necessitated the examination of our present Persian out
put with a possible view to its reduction. In normal
times, everything produced at present could be justified
by its reception among the various classes for which it is
intended, but the popularity of publicity material is not
necessarily a guide to its ultimate value.
3. Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. :—
Various factors have contributed to an increase in
the popularity of Al Arab in this region. Conducted as
it is by a professional Egyptian journalist whose 17 years’
residence in India has made him a genuine admirer
of Indian culture and administration, Al Arab is not
generally recognised as being of official origin and its
value is thereby enhanced. The difficulty of interesting
Arabs in a magazine entirely devoid of controversial
matters can hardly be overestimated.
4. Iraq:—
There is no change in the situation except that,
contrary to expectations, orders for publications have
increased slightly during the period under review.
5. Afghanistan:—
There has been some increase in the subscriptions to
Taj Mahal both from Afghanistan itself and, more parti
cularly, from Afghans in India.
6. North West frontier Province:—
There is no change in the present situation.
7. U. S. A.:—
Long delays have taken place in the arrival of Perspective
in America and in its distribution there in spite of the
fact that advance copies and bulk supplies of the earlier
issues have now been in the U. S. A. for some months.
It is unsatisfactory that no comprehensive reactions are
as yet forthcoming to this novel venture.
3. China
A suggestion that India should be replaced by a
Chinese version of Dunya was firmly rejected by the
Indian Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. General in Chungking. It appears that
India has established a definite position for itself in
Chungking, but it is not clear whether it would be as
popular in the less restricted atmosphere of the larger
cities of China which are now being opened up to the
outside world. There is good reason to suppose that the
appearance of a Chinese edition of Dunya in such cities
as Shanghai, Hong Kong and Nanking would meet with
a very rapid response.
9. far East:—
Difficulties of communication both between India and
the Far East and within the countries of the Far East
themselves make the distribution of our material there
difficult and even its introduction a slow business. Com
prehensive and encouraging reports have, however,
been recently received from Burma, Malaya and China.
10. British (ommonuiealth (exckidinq India) :—
There is much room for the development of Indian
publicity both in the United Kingdom and in the