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

359. Memorandum From Secretary of State Rusk to President Johnson¹

Washington, July 25, 1966.

SUBJECT

• Report to the President on the Indian Nuclear Weapons Problem

In accordance with NSAM 351² there is transmitted herewith a report on the Indian Nuclear Weapons Problem.³ The report has been approved by the Senior Interdepartmental Group, by the Secretary of Defense and by the Director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency.

The report recommends no dramatic steps to discourage the Indians from starting a nuclear weapons program; this is because we have been unable to devise anything dramatic which would not cost us more than any anticipated gain. The report does, however, recommend that a number of further studies be made, as this is a developing rather than a static situation. We have all agreed that our purpose with respect to the Indians is to buy time during which, hopefully, we can move forward on broader fronts to bring under more permanent control the dangers inherent in the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

Dean Rusk

1. Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, NSAMs, NSAM 355. No classification marking.
2. Document 347.
3. This undated report, prepared by the Senior Interdepartmental Group, is summarized in Document 363. Documentation on the preparation of the report and its consideration by the Senior Interdepartmental Group is in the Johnson Library, National Security File, Agency File, SIG, Vol. I, 12th Meeting, 7/15/66.