The real and "very clever" reason for the Red Chinese attack on India last year was China's desire to destroy India's prestigious image of neutrality, John Kenneth Galbraith said last night.

The former Ambassador to India said that India's neutrality was the fulcrum of her foreign policy. By remaining in the strong position of aloof neutrality, India could pit her weight with any side in world bargaining.

The Chinese, explained Galbraith to a packed Dunster House Junior Common Room, "clearly clobbered" that position by forcing India to seek Western aid and to worry about further support from her Asian neighbors.

Galbaith cited a huge and exploding population "as a matter of prime urgency" for the Indian economy. He said that the Indian government should take serious and effective steps towards controlling the population.

However, Galbraith said that Indian population control is still in the area of oratory," and that "for all practical purposes not much is being done."

Galbraith cited one economic planner's idea for controlling the population: the Indian government would buy 100 heliocopters which would drop over every rural village a packet containing male contraceptives and notices announcing that every family with more than two children would be liable to a 50 ruble fine and five years in jail.

Galbraith said that his feeling was for a more libertarian method, but that he "would not like to see anything less effective." For India to throw the population issue over to the U.S., he said, "is the most shocking form of escapism."

Progress in Industry

The Indian government is making some progress in its industrial economy, Galbraith said, but progress in agriculture is soely lacking.