Indira Gandhi a b*t*h: Recalling Kissinger's remarks on ex-Indian PM
The United States (US) Department of State declassified taped conversations between former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and President Richard Nixon right before the 1971 India-Pakistan conflict in 2005. In the tapes, Kissinger and Nixon spoke about former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi right after a meeting with her. While Nixon referred to Gandhi as an "old witch," Kissinger called her a "b***h" and called Indians "bastards" during a heated conversation.
Why does this story matter?
Kissinger, who served under two US presidents and left an indelible mark on America's foreign policy, died on Thursday at 100. While several hailed Kissinger for his intellectual experience, many labeled him a war criminal for his support of anti-communist dictatorships. After the tapes surfaced, Kissinger apologized for his choice of words but insisted that the conversation he had with Nixon be viewed in the context of Cold War politics.
Know about Kissinger, Nixon's controversial remarks on Gandhi, India
Speaking about his meeting with the then-Indian PM, Nixon told Kissinger, "We really slobbered over the old witch." "While she (Gandhi) was a bitch, we got what we wanted too," Kissinger responded, according to an old The Guardian report. "The Indians are bastards anyway," the now-late diplomat added while referring to them as "the most aggressive goddamn people around."
Kissinger's clarifications on controversial remarks
Right after the taped remarks became public in 2005, Kissinger said he regretted his comments and claimed he respected Gandhi. "(The foul language has) to be seen in the context of a cold war atmosphere 35 years ago, when I had paid a secret visit to China," he told NDTV during an interview. "(Back then) President Nixon hadn't yet been there, and India had made a kind of an alliance with the Soviet Union," Kissinger added.
Why America was worried about growing Indo-Soviet ties
The Nixon administration was worried about the spread of Soviet influence in the Indian subcontinent due to India's growing relations with the Soviet Union. As a countermeasure, America started reaching out to China as it had tensions with the Soviet Union and India. In response, India asked Soviet Russia to activate a provision in the Indo-Soviet Security Agreement that said an attack on India would be considered an attack on Moscow.
