US President Jimmy Carter is accompanied on the flight by President Sanjiva Reddy, Prime Minister Morarji Desai and Foreign Minister AB Vajpayee. (New Delhi, January 3, 1978) |Photo courtesy of US Embassy Delhi/ flickr.com
Former US President Jimmy Carter has strong ties with India, both on a personal level and over the original Indo-US nuclear deal regarding the Tarapur nuclear power plant, which derailed his major visit to India in 1978. There was even a fear that he might do it. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday praised Carter’s efforts towards “world peace and harmony” and said his “contribution to fostering strong India-US relations has left a lasting legacy.”
Mr. Carter’s two-day visit to India (January 1-3, 1978) was touted as a key moment in bilateral relations. Mr. Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter embarked on a five-country tour of Poland, Iran, India, France and Belgium, arriving in New Delhi from Tehran, where King Mohammad Reza Pahlavi hosted a New Year’s Eve dinner for them. I opened it.
It was also important that Mr. Carter, unlike his predecessor, did not combine it with a visit to Pakistan. The Carters received not only Prime Minister Morarji Desai and his cabinet, but also President Neelam Sanjiva Reddy herself, which was unusual. Mr. Reddy, who met Mr. Carter at the airport, called Mr. Carter a “great humanitarian” and said that Mr. Carter’s mother, Lillian Carter, visited him in the 1960s as a member of the U.S. Peace Corps in Maharashtra. “dedicated service”.
President Rosalynn Carter wears a shawl given to her by villagers in Nasirabad, Daulatpur, India. He has a satisfied smile on his face. Tilak, a spot of red dye on the forehead, is a Hindu sign of respect and friendship. To commemorate their visit, the name of the village was permanently changed to Kartapuri. |Photo courtesy: US Embassy Delhi/flickr.com
Mr. Carter attended a public meeting at Ramlila Maidan with Mr. Desai, clearly delighted by the well-wishers, the reception and the crowds that had gathered in the streets. He said his connection to India is deeply personal, thanks to his mother’s love for “this country and its people.” In Congress, he drew a standing ovation for comparing India’s struggle for democracy after the state of emergency that ended two years ago to the U.S. protests over Watergate, which ousted his predecessor, President Richard Nixon.
However, the convivial atmosphere during the visit was somewhat dampened by American expectations of the Indian government at the time. “We’re going to India, the world’s largest democracy, which has tilted perhaps too much toward the Soviet Union in recent years, but is moving forward under the leadership of Prime Minister Desai,” Carter said in an interview ahead of his arrival. ” he said. He will return to the United States and assume a good neutral role. ”His remarks had some controversial aspects.
non-proliferation treaty
Also, during the meeting with Desai, Carter, in light of the US anger over India’s 1974 nuclear test, tried to steer India towards the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and to bring India’s nuclear fuel demands to the UN Security Council. It was also clear that he intended to take advantage of it. Using the Tarapur nuclear power plant as a lever. Morarji Desai is an avowed Gandhian who opposed the atomic bomb, but he still refused to budge on the issue of nuclear sovereignty. During a “hot mic” moment during a break in the two leaders’ meeting, Mr. Carter inadvertently spoke to Secretary of State Cyrus Vance near a television microphone, discussed their differences during negotiations, and referred to Mr. Desai as a “.” The situation was broadcast. “He was quite adamant on the nuclear issue,” The Hindu reported at the time.
“While the US President’s outreach was well-intentioned, it is clear that on the nuclear issue there remains a wide gap between what the US wants from India in terms of non-proliferation and the safeguards that India is willing to comply with. ” said his predecessor. Venkatesh Verma, ambassador to Russia and disarmament expert at the Ministry of External Affairs, explained that the fundamental question is about “India’s place in the larger nuclear order, of which the United States is the primary custodian.”
Both sides ignored the comments, but it was clear that talks on the nuclear issue had been unsuccessful during what had been a very fruitful visit on issues such as space cooperation and agricultural aid. Summing up the visit, then-U.S. Ambassador Robert Goheen wrote in a cable dated January 5, 1978: “This is evidence of widespread goodwill,” he said, but acknowledged that commentary in Indian newspapers had focused on “differences in the nuclear field.” Upon his departure, Mr. Carter hoped that his visit would be a “turning point” in India-US relations, but his hopes were not fulfilled. The next US president’s visit to India by Bill Clinton came more than 22 years later, as US-India relations remained at odds over several issues including US support for Pakistan, the Cold War, and nuclear negotiations.
It took another 30 years for India and the US to reach an agreement on the nuclear issue, culminating in the Indo-US Civil Nuclear Agreement between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and US President George Bush. Coincidentally, as the deal was closing in 2006, Mr. Carter returned to India and met with Mr. Singh. Both leaders, known for their moderate diplomatic styles, died within days of each other.
issued – December 30, 2024 10:33 PM IST
