IOR/L/PS/12/1952

The file is concerned broadly with three topics. The first, found predominantly between folios 102-224, is about complaints made by the Government of Afghanistan over violations of its territory by aircraft of the Royal Air Force, and complaints made by HM Minister at Kabul that the Government of India does not take the complaints seriously enough. The file therefore contains details of these violations, investigations undertaken into complaints, and any action taken by the Government of India in response: for example see folios 208-12. It also contains a number of memoranda outlining examples of territorial violations by aircraft from the rest of the world for comparison: see folios 165-68, 159-60, and 149-51.

The second topic, also found predominantly between folios 102-224, is about periodic amendments to the Government of India's rules for pilots flying in the North West Frontier. The most significant change is a reduction of the extent of prohibited zone — an area around the Afghan-Indian border within which aircraft are not supposed to fly — from six to three miles. The file includes related discussion as to what impact this could have respecting the number of accidental incursions into Afghanistan.

The third topic, predominantly found between folios 4-101, concerns aerial photographic survey work to be undertaken along the Afghan frontier in Baluchistan and the North West Frontier Province. The file includes proposals for survey work from the Surveyor General of India, correspondence respecting the suspension of the prohibited zone, and notifications of proposed survey work provided to HM Minister at Kabul. A map showing the areas in India prohibited to civil aircraft can be found on folio 95.

The main correspondents are as follows: HM Minister at Kabul; the Foreign Secretary to the Government of India; the Foreign and Political Department of the Government of India (from 1937 the Department of External Affairs); the Government of India Department of Education, Health and Lands; the Surveyor General of India; officials of the Foreign Office; and officials of the India Office.

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.