7. Editorial Note
National elections were held in India March 1–10, 1971. Prime Minister Indira Gandhiʼs Congress Party won 350 seats in the 521 seat Lok Sabha, the lower house of parliament. In an assessment of the election sent to Secretary Rogers on March 22, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs Joseph Sisco concluded that the election served Gandhi by “making both her partyʼs and her own position unassailable.” (National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 15–1 INDIA) On March 13 President Nixon sent a message to Prime Minister Gandhi congratulating her on her “landslide victory.” (Telegram 42498 to New Delhi; ibid.) In a telephone conversation with Secretary Rogers on March 17, Henry Kissinger said that he had discussed the election over lunch that day with Indian Ambassador Jha. According to Jha: “Now that she has won, she wants good relations with us.” (Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box 367, Telephone Conversations, Chronological File)