195. Letter From President Carter to Indian Prime Minister Gandhi1
I deeply appreciated your warm personal note of July 16,2 as well as your earlier letter of June 6.3 As you know, the Tarapur matter is still pending before the Congress, but we are making a great effort and are hopeful of success. Authorizing these shipments involved a certain political risk but I am satisfied that the risk was worth taking to promote closer relations between our two countries.
I was struck by the candor of your more recent note and the concern that you raised about India’s image in the United States. While there is no general pattern of hostility, there are individual Americans who are ill-disposed towards India. Many of them are at least as critical of me and express themselves just as stridently and frequently. It has always been the strength of our relationship that as democratic societies we recognize in each other the freedom to differ and to express those differences.
I understand your frustration with certain criticism occasionally levelled against India in the U.S. press, just as I am sure you can appreciate my concern at the often deplorable treatment my country receives in some sections of the Indian press. Over time I hope that greater understanding will prevail on both sides, but for the present, this is a part of the reality with which we must deal.
I can assure you that our official statements will always seek to reflect—as I know yours will—an understanding of the importance of our relationship and that we will always strive to distinguish between the allegations of people who would damage our friendship and the truths that are fundamental to it.
[Page 501]Let me suggest two specific things you and I can do:
First, in the spirit of your personal note, we can share our concerns privately and candidly. As you yourself wrote, we cannot always see problems from the same angle. As our two countries pursue our national interests, it is inevitable that we will both at times follow courses of action that the other will not welcome. U.S. actions, however, are never intended to harm India in any way. If you should ever have any doubts about our activities or our motivations, please contact me directly so that I can ascertain the facts and present them to you directly. I will do the same.
Second, I look forward to being able to enrich our relationship through direct contact. The ties between our two families lead me to think of you as a friend. I hope that Rosalynn and I will be able to welcome you to Washington sometime in the future. A visit by you to the U.S. would bring India’s message to a broad spectrum of the American people.
Once again, thank you for your letter. I have received few letters as President that spoke to me so directly and personally. Among other things, I deeply appreciate your expression of concern for our hostages. Few problems have weighed on me so heavily. In other areas as well, international developments have made it difficult to pursue the long-term goals of my Administration, but I am determined to press on, and look to India, under your leadership, for support.
Let us remain in touch,
Sincerely,4
- Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Country File, Box 28, India: 7/80–1/81. No classification marking. Sent to Carter for his signature under an August 21 covering memorandum from Brzezinski. (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, North/South, Thornton Country File, Box 94, Presidential Correspondence: 6/80–1/81)↩
- See Document 190. In his covering memorandum to Carter, Brzezinski noted: “Hers is a quite remarkable letter, personal and troubled. Her foreign office was unaware even of its existence.” Noting that the proposed reply to Gandhi sought to strike a similar “tone and establish a more personal bond between you and Mrs. Gandhi,” Brzezinski commented: “Frankly, I don’t know whether anything we can do will have a great impact on Indo-US relations. Given Mrs. Gandhi’s personalized style of leadership, however, a closer personal relationship could help.”↩
- See Document 187.↩
- Beneath his signature, Carter wrote: “P.S. My mother sends her best wishes to you & your people—J.”↩