Information about Negotiations of the Member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the CPSU and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the USSR, A. A. Gromyko, with the New Indian leadership (April 25 - 27 of This Year)

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9.5.1977

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Strictly Confidential

Information

about negotiations of the member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the CPSU and Minister  of Foreign Affairs of the USSR, A. A. Gromyko,  with the new Indian leadership (April 25 - 27 of this year)

The main results of the visit are reflected in the joint Soviet-Indian communiqué*. In addition, we consider it useful to inform the friends about some important moments of the negotiations and talks with the Prime Minister of India, [Morarji] Desai, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, [Atal Bihari] Vajpayee, and the President [Basappa Danappa] Jatti.

During the meeting with Desai he was given a personal message by comrade L. I. Brezhnev on fundamental questions of Soviet-Indian relations and their future. The fact of delivering this message itself pleased Desai, and he reacted positively to its content.

During the negotiations Desai and Vajpayee pointed out above all that the recent election campaign, in the wake of which the new leadership came to power, had been focused on the problems of India's internal development. Foreign policy questions were not covered during the campaign.

The interlocutors stressed that the course of the new Indian government towards the Soviet Union would remain unchanged. The general thought was that Indira Gandhi could not have the monopoly on good relations with the Soviet Union. Moreover, the new government will, according to Desai, is expected to raise the level of these relationships even higher.

The leading Indian personalities assured that the Soviet-Indian Treaty on Peace, Friendship and Cooperation was a great common achievement of India and the Soviet Union.

The Soviet side drew the Prime Minister's attention to the fact that individual Indian politicians had made statements which were basically directed against a consolidation of the friendly relations between the USSR and India, against the purpose of the treaty. Desai replied that such remarks should be ignored. He asked to put aside any doubts in this regard and declared that there would be no deterioration whatsoever in Soviet-Indian relations.

Desai clearly stated that the new Indian government would comply with all provisions of the Soviet-Indian treaty. This thought has been repeated several times by other leading Indian personalities. It was also reflected in the joint communiqué, which refers to the determination of both states to continue the path of further strengthening equal and mutually advantageous cooperation on the basis of the Soviet-Indian treaty.

The Prime Minister declared in a certain form, mainly in connection with the mutual relations between India and the USA, that India would never engage in developing relations with any third country to the detriment of its traditional friendly relations with the Soviet Union.

Desai turned on his own initiative to China and said that the situation there is complicated, relations with India are poor, and as far as the possibilities of their improvement are concerned, China's policy does not inspire him with optimism. He explained that India does not intend to take any steps to improve

The Indian Prime Minister spoke out decisively against another arms race, he showed understanding of our position on this issue and declared that India would not produce nuclear weapons in full agreement with a statement made about it by J. Nehru.

Desai also spoke about the importance that the new Indian government attached to India's adherence to the policy of non-alignment, and expressed the view that it would be good if all the states of the world were to join this policy, i.e. if they were to act from united positions in the struggle for peace and disarmament.

In response, we stated that we value India's foreign policy based on the principles of non-alignment. But, of course, a "connection" of all countries to this policy is only possible if all military blocs are liquidated, to which the Soviet Union has called many times. For our part, a number of exact proposals has been put forward, but unfortunately their implementation does not depend solely on the Soviet Union. The Indian side undoubtedly knows who is piling up obstacles in this way.

The situation in the Middle East was one of the major international problems. There was a common ground between the points of view of the Soviet Union and the new Indian leadership, the mutual opinion that there was a broad platform for cooperation in this field was expressed.

Comrade A. A. Gromyko met with the secretary of the National Council of the Communist Party of India, comrade N. K. Krishnan. In this conversation, as well as in a subsequent statement, the Communist Party of India has paid great tribute to the results of the Soviet-Indian negotiations.

Negotiations and talks with the leading Indian personalities took place in a spirit of friendship with the Soviet Union, based on the position of maintaining the continuity of the proven course of the Soviet-Indian relations, the development of relations of friendship and cooperation with our country. Of course, the future will show how the practical policies of the new Indian leadership will be shaped in the Soviet-Indian affairs, especially in addressing exact international issues. However, the atmosphere of the negotiations and the statements of M. Desai, A. B. Vajpayee and other Indian statesmen and politicians demonstrated that such an attitude to the Soviet Union is a thoughtful line of the new Indian leadership.

In Moscow it is considered that the visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the USSR to India was timely and the negotiations held in Delhi were constructive and useful from the point of view of supporting this country in positions, which are in line with the common agenda of the socialist countries towards India.