A new chapter of cooperation between India, the world’s largest democracy, and the United States, the world’s most powerful democracy, is expected to begin with the visit of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to the US in the second week of June. US arms supplies to Pakistan — a longstanding irritant in Indo-US relations — are expected to figure prominently during the talks Gandhi will have with President Ronald Reagan. Much ground has already been prepared with regard to improved bilateral economic relations. A memorandum of understanding on the transfer of technology from the US to India has been signed.

Iraq strikes Iran

Iraq said its warplanes attacked a “very large naval target” — a term applied in the past to large merchant ships — near Iran’s main oil export terminal at Kharg island in the Gulf. A spokesman said the planes scored an accurate hit and returned safely to base. The raids marked the fourth straight day in the latest flare up between the two belligerents, locked in a border war since September 1980.