Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XXV, South Asia

300. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in India¹

Washington, March 18, 1966, 6:49 p.m.

1751. Deptel 1561, Paris 44.² Indian Food Crisis.

1. We believe Mrs. Gandhi should be aware before her departure of our continued concern with Indian efforts to obtain maximum assistance from other countries and that we expect to discuss this with her. We understand GOI reluctance to appear at home to be unable manage food problem without massive foreign assistance but do not think this should affect vigor of Indian effort to organize assistance from other governments. Impression here that GOI is relying heavily on U.S., is discounting capability or willingness of other countries to help, and is not sufficiently aware our determination that other countries share burden. Items which disturb us are failure to establish donor country coordinating committee, which we believe strongly favored by other major donors, lack of Indian initiative on bilateral basis in seeking more than token contributions from industrial countries, about which Australians also greatly concerned, and disinclination make high level approach to other governments as they have promised they would do. We would hope that Mrs. Gandhi would take opportunity to ask for something better than present meager French contribution when she sees President DeGaulle.

2. Leave to your discretion best way of insuring GOI officials and Mrs. Gandhi well briefed; it also desirable that you bring back full report on GOI recent efforts and present intentions regarding international effort, including any renewed approaches to third countries.

Rusk

1. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, SOC 10 INDIA. Confidential; Priority. Drafted by Arthur C. Bauman (NEA/SOA) on March 17; cleared by Laise, Officer in Charge of Economic Affairs Guy C. Mallett, Jr. (NEA/SOA), Horbaly (USDA/FAS), Officer in Charge of Indian Affairs in AID’s Office of South Asian Affairs Walter C. Furst, Economic Officer in Charge of French-Iberian Affairs Edgar J. Beigel (EUR/WE), and Alan D. Berg (M/FFP); and approved by Hare. Repeated to Paris.
2. In telegram 1561 to New Delhi, February 19, the Department noted what was perceived in Washington as a “let-up” in the effort of the Indian Government to obtain maximum support from third countries to meet the crisis in food requirements. The Embassy was instructed to urge a greater effort on India’s part. (Ibid.)