Why Nixon hated Indira Gandhi & how she held off Soviets before 1971 war : Chandrashekhar Dasgupta 

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It was a delight to listen to this conversation.

I can't but thank Mrs Indira Gandhi for what she did for Bangladesh. She will be revered always and will stand high and mighty in my heart.

Phenomenal! Statecraft, not a simple or easy thing. Thank you for bringing this to light.

The quality of journalism here is amazing. Thank you for being a beacon of hope in the otherwise depressing landscape in the country.

Thank Russia for being a loyal friend . Indian Military Veterans .

Mr Ambassador... great you have truly given contribution by all people of society.. thanks.By the way I was also in the 1971 war in western front.

Brilliant and articulate diplomat. He also led India in the climate change negotiations leading up to the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. I had the privilege of meeting him in Beijing in May 1993 when he was Indian Ambassador to China. And what a memory of people and the finer points of the events of 1970-71 and the ability to put them in the broader Cold War and US-China contexts. Thank you The Print for this jewel of an interview. And bravo - Indian journalism lives on!

This should have been an hour and half long video... Great interview and another author who is now added to my 'Want To Read' list.

Amazing first-hand account of the times. Ambassador while cautiously candid, Ms Malhotra at her best teasing out a couple more layers than the person across would readily let known. Checking the book out for sure. 😊

What an articulate man. Thank You Print, for introducing us to Sir :)

Indira is the first & only Iron Lady. Thanks Mrs.Gandhi for the wonderful victory.

Thanks Jyoti for inviting the author and interviewing him (and allowing him to talk). Lots of unknown details have come out during the interview. The book seems to be a good buy. It is unusual that Amb. Dasgupta does not appear in any TV Channels or even talks on You Tube channels. He is extremely articulate and scholarly person; the young Indians need to watch such people talk to understand nuances of diplomacy and how national interests are nurtured and protected.

Mrs Indira Gandhi slapped Kissinger and Nixon,and made Yaya Khan to kneel down.Nixon used unparlimentary words towards PM of India.

So many misconceptions cleared now. Thanks for this brilliant interview.

Thank u Jyoti Ma'am for bringing this story to us..and reminding us what India stood for even during its early days of existence

Thank you PM Indira Gandhi ! I feel so proud when I visit Dhaka and see pictures of the surrender ceremony everywhere including at airport

Great treasure from few people who knows, understand and analyse contemporary history of India. 🙏 Lovely meaningful conversation. 👍

Wow, such a good conversation. Curiosity of interviewer coupled with excellent story telling of interviewee.

Very illuminating and informative and thank you very much Ambassador Gupta and of course Print's Jyothi

Such an amazing discussion. just amazing.

Power of a women. India deserve such brave ruler today.

Wow!! What a great convo 🔥

I was so fortunate in the Caribbean to be able to be part of the aid effort on behalf of Bangladesh.

This conversation is 24 Karat GOLD!

Great interview.. good work print.. best regards

Mr Dasgupta's description of the particular episode is very illuminating

Beautiful conversations ~~

What a fantastic interview!

Excellant desceiprion Excellant description of events by Das.

Many untold story has been narrated. Bangladesh is the only country in the recent world history which created on the basis of language. All Bangali people living in East Pakistan were united and stood against Pakistani oppression. Today we celebrating 50th anniversary of our independent. On this occasion, we strongly remember the great contribution Indian people and government made towards our war of Liberation against Pakistan in 1971. We expect that India and Bangladeshi people will live under the friendship sprit of 1971.

Great, definitely gonna buy this book.

That was really an insightful podcast!!!

Thank you Dasgupta Sir and Print!!

Absolutely brilliant.....

thanks i really enjyed this

Very insightful 🍻

Team India had a glorious show in 1971 at world stage .

Thanks #ThePrintUninterrupted #ThePrint #JyotiMalhotra for this 👍

Best narration, real-time eyes explaining makes Bangladesh

Nice educative video

Mujibnagar was not an enclave in Calcutta, but a village in Meherpur subdivision (now a district) of Kushtia district inside Bangladesh territory.

Insightful

Thanks!

Excellent interview 👍

thank you mam for interviewing das sir ...

True 1971 war was not about Kashmir but is foolish not to strike when the iron is hot

East Pakistan broke away from West Pakistan and declared itself as independent Bangladesh and India gave all out support in achieving victory in the ensuing war. But does it imply the same thing when the title says “India broke Pakistan” ?

Kudos to Mrs Gandhi for signing friendship treaty w Soviet Union to checkmate both US n China from creating problems

Sir, if you were in Rome how could you know about the details of those meeting

Isn't it convenient to use Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw's name after his death..?

It was not just Yahya Khan but Bhutto who refused to hand over power to Mujib which resulted in the Pak Army genocide of Bengalis n breakup of Pakistan

Just remember what happened to 3amigo who’s broke Pakistan Bhutto Mujeeb and Indra

Where is Jyothi Malhotra mam..we are missing her

Statements about shimla convention, 1972 were intresting and complete.

Tricky Dick Nixon and the Prussian Henry Kissinger- my all-time villains.But a fascinating conversation by one who was in the thick of things. And the deliberate targeting of Hindus by the Pak Army is something that I have heard, but is now confirmed.

Why did india unilaterally declared Cessfire in the Western Front

It was Jyoti Malhotra best interview

What a difference; you hear this conversation and then u hear a any retired Pakistani generate’s jingoistic claims about 1971!

More of Shekhar Gupta

Happy u bring this issue so youth in pak shud know y v shudnt nvr b friends again...

Jyoti, can you bag an interview with Kissinger, especially now that he is in the mood for talking up his ping pong diplomacy. He's not going to be around for much longer.

👌👌👌

History is important

India should have arranged some land swap deal or asked for some land in exchange of support so that chicken neck could have been wider.

why didn't India press hard for getting its own soldiers back. A defensive thought can subsume the logic of loosing Geneva convention immunity but why we were unable to get our own men back? Logic applies both ways. If India can return 93,000 soldiers and ranks then why can't pakistan return our 54+ soldiers ...

joy bangla joy india

Hope all the RW Spokesperson Read this Book.

My final question to Mr. Dasgupta would've been, why Bangladesh has become sort of anti-India now? It feels so strange listening to these names especially when I physically saw Indira Gandhi, Nixon, Brezhnev and Zhou Enlai.

Jothi madam hosting an interview called "uninterrupted" Oh the irony...

What about the Indian pow's Pakistan had captured? She does not even ask that.. Many of them were left behind.. This lady is a real disappointment.

I get a feeling that a section of the media and some journalists are more fixated with Nehrus, Gandhis, Modis and Shas than 137.975 core Indians. I wonder whether this attitude will help in building the young India.

''Pindi - Peking - Pentagon'' entente or nexus as we Bengalis popularly called then.

Background is distracting. Good information though.

Today bangladesh economy is much bigger than Pakistan, where it's handing out loans to srilanka...

Thanks.

The real title why Indirajiji broke Pakistan? She was a genius fragmented Pakistan China ran as fast as they could and USA was baffled. Blasted the nuclear bomb in 1974, took Sikkim, Siachen and even parts of POK back. Also taught China lesson at Nathu La in 1967. The real game: China had joined up with the Jewish lobby headed by Kissinger., USSR was deceived by China and in 1969 USSR liquidated 42,000 Chinese on the Ussuri river. Thus India emerged as a superpower aided by the loyal USSR and now Russia.

Just have always had a dislike 👎🏽 for these “Cashmere “ kind of diplomats. It’s the army men and common people who had died and contributed in the 1971 war. And these guys take the credit

Rape,murder was the basis for the rule of Pak.

The fact that this polished English speaker/former Ambassador to China is more interested in spending time in writing a book on creation of Bangladesh makes me question as to what exactly was he doing in China as an ambassador when Chinese were going full throttle on economic front? Was he there just for sight seeing and enjoying himself? I put him and Shashi Tharoor in same category- polished and fluent english, can win some debates but when it comes to thinking and ACTING strategically find someone else. Unfortunately english fluency is highly valued in Upper echelons of Indian bureaucracy than economic(and other Critical) problem solving abilities. These people are always worried about what others(countries) will think and never take bold action. These are high salaried Babu Sahibs and Status quo keeps their jobs secure. I would rather be interested in Foreign ambassadors who are relentless and voracious economic opportunity hunters in the countries they are privileged to be posted in and thus constantly increasing market share for Indian businesses. Enough of this nostalgia of old wars etc. Are you ready and focused on fighting real (economic) war happening right now or will you bury your head in sand and keep imagining the 'good old days'/war wins/comparisons with Pakistan etc?

Mr Dasgupta shows how weak policy on the aggressor works. Expecting to create international pressure on the aggressor is time consuming and not effective strategy. Our old time foreign policy makers had this problem. After capturing Pak army, they could have hand over the war criminals to Bangla government. Instead they set free all criminals. Confident policy maker does not wait for international support. Example is- attack on Balakot, our air force goes in Pak territory and bombs the centers.

How can we reunited again???

Is it really to discuss the strategies indian government adopted during those days? What message do we plan to share with international media? I find a hidden agenda behind. Tread carefully the print!!

The interviewer must stop interrupting the interviewee and be more patient…wait until the statement is completed … she keeps completing his sentences which is extremely annoying

This is a good model for Balochistan !!

Typical bureaucrat/diplomat undermining a soldier. Clipped accent cannot hide the bias. Persons like him can sit in AC rooms and literally not to have his boots on the ground.

One should raed the book 'Blood Telegram' to realise how much Nixon and Kissinger hated India. These two Americans are largelly responsible for the rise of China today and the decline of America. In their desire to limit Soviet's power, they backed China, and now you see the result. Hope the Americans and the whole world will realise that Kissinger is not that great diplomat or foreign policy analyst. One should also read tne Kissnger's convesations with Mao when he repeatedly ridiculed India and Nehru.

Because its weekness India wants the US to confront China on behalf of INdia

20:40

Please, Please... ThePrint... refrain from such inappropriate Titles in Video thumbnail 😤. We don't expect this from you.

Very poor defense of Indira Gandhi. Geneva convention did not stipulate those who committed crimes against humanity should not be hold accountable. Allies hold Nuremberg trial and Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal. None of those actions were contrary to Geneva convention. Geneva convention also did not state, one should hand back all the territory it has captured after a hard fought war. IG returned 5,795 sq mi of territory and released 93000 POW for FREE(not one was tried !), without taking into account that nearly 3,000 Indian troops gave their lives and majority of the civilian population killed in East Pakistan were from Hindu community. She was a definitely not a far sighted statesman as portrayed by the interviewee !

Young children almost always use unparlimentary language

For all his erudition and articulate explanation of the circumstances during that time, Amb Dasgupta wants us to believe that 1971 war's only strategic objective was the liberation of B'desh and didn't have anything to do with the western front. And then he has also spoken of Gen. Manikshaw for being politically naive... All I can say is that by saying and believing so, Amb Sengupta doesn't exactly present a good account of himself too, on that score. Also, to say that LOC could not be resolved on the post-war negotiating table is disingenuous. India kept the POWs for more than a year and in that period Mrs. Gandhi couldn't build a consensus with Indian public and opposition for converting the LOC into International border? She had recieved a huge boost to her political credibility & currency with the Indian public and polity & she couldn't use that to forge a consensus?? Really?? But, at the same time, Amb Dasgupta wants us to believe that Mrs. Gandhi managed all the geopolitical maneuvering and domestic political & military planning required to launch the B'desh war in just 8-9 months between Mar to Nov 1971? Looks like Amb Dasgupta sees Mrs. Gandhi as a superwoman when he wants to and projects her as a helpless politician just the next moment, as per his convenience. Did Mrs. Gandhi even display any intention or thought towards solving Kashmir and the boundary problem at the negotiating table? Also, if not LOC, why didn't she at least get Pakis to agree that they would not claim any part of Indian Kashmir anymore and get them to pass a resolution in their parliament & present a memorandum to India / UN on that? Wonder why she allowed herself to get led by her Kashmiri advisors Haskar and Dhar into keeping Kashmir out of negotiations? Unless she wanted to... The sad reality is that India won the war on the battlefield but frittered away the advantage on the negotiating table...

Curb your enthusiasm lady, let the guy speak

Now chinawill take care of Assam,Butan and Ladak

Where lies any hope of India getting back POK ? Zilch in my view. Indira ought to have built consensus and leveraged the war to convert the Line of Control into an international border. How much money and bloodshed could have been avoided in the 50 years since … and counting …. had that been done. She missed an opportunity as did her father with China as a quid pro quo to our stepping back in Tibet. But at least she won the war unlike Nehru who led the country to an ignominious defeat.

RECOMMENDED reading 📖 for PAKISTANIS 👍

It clearly shows shortcomings and no future outlook thinking of that time Govt by not considering solving Kashmir issue

Gifting back 93000 POWs including notorious 205 war criminals to Pakistan was a great injustice to Bangladesh. India coould've tried those war criminals {like Nuremburg trial, Tokyo trial after World War II). Pakistan Army committed atrocities, genocide of three million Bengalis and rapes over four hundred thousand women in Bangladesh.

Stop interrupting while the man speaks