INDIA . . . DEFENSE TIES THAT BIND

Defense Secretary William Perry and Indian officials today signed a military cooperation accord in New Delhi that aims to improve stormy relations between the U.S. and the former strategic Soviet ally. But TIME Defense correspondent Mark Thompson says Perry is less concerned about the agreement, which simply authorizes joint military exercises and research, than in politicking in the region to prevent an arms race between India and bitter rival Pakistan. "Now that the Soviets are our allies," Thompson points out, "all their old allies are ipso facto our allies."