Indira Gandhi, the former Indian prime minister, in 1974. PHOTO: AFP
According to WikiLeaks, Indira had informed her parliament on July 22 that she told Bhutto that New Delhi would be ready to share relevant technology to Pakistan.
“I have explained in my letter to prime minister Bhutto the peaceful nature and the economic purposes of this experiment and have also stated that India is willing to share her nuclear technology with Pakistan in the same way she is willing to share it with other countries, provided proper conditions for understanding and trust are created. I once again repeat this assurance,” WikiLeaks quoted Indira as saying.
The US Embassy cables released by WikiLeaks added that Bhutto had rejected Indira’s offer.
According to a report by IBN-CNN, the cables said that Indira was “evasive about nuclear weaponisation”.
“If our scientists have the basic know-how, without which they couldn't have done this, then any government could have directed them to make a bomb if they had so desired,” she was quoted as saying.
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she was the one u gave the idea of ipod...hehehe
Am sure she must've meant offering Pakistan the nuclear waste. What a shrewd lady, unlike her father who was humming Hindi Chini bhai bhai when China moved into Tibet in 1950 and defeated India in 1962. Because of her strategic action in 1971, India was able to put Pakistan into a diffident, introspective and existential tailspin that consumes it till date, while India grows gradually into a world power.
@Pakistani: "A friendly India…. Impossible. India has never been nor would be friendly to anyone except Israel. " You seriously need a History Cap on International affairs. Without getting into too much details, India voted against Israel's admission in the United Nations in 1949. Throughout the cold war, India was at best non-aligned and at worst tilted towards Soviet Bloc (which was in direct opposition of US and allies which included Israel). It was Pakistan which was a core partner of US and allies. Formal relations of India with Israel were set up only by early 1990s and have recorded an upswing ever since, not because of its policy towards Arabs but because of its technological superiority in defence sector and great strides made in basic research (while most of the surrounding Arab world seems to be stuck in khalifa timeframe). Infact, I am beginning to suspect that 'evil Zionist Israel' is perfect smokescreen created by most Arab leaders to hide their own crimes against humanity and governance shortcomings from the people of their own countries.
As for India's relation with other countries - In Present World, barring the neighbors, India's relations are in perfect condition be it with Russia, US, Europe or the developing World.
Anyway every country has a right to choose the course of its history. As I have already stated, India being bigger can afford to wait till eternity for this war of attrition to get over which in all likelihood would be in its favor (What are the chances of a Cricket team of 11 players to win against a cricket team of 50 players) but it will be a drain on our resources which can be better spent on eradicating corruption, delivering decent public services, and promoting social harmony in the country. My primary concern is this drain of resources. None of the founding father (be it of Pakistan or India) had imagined that both countries would become such a thorny liability on each other.
Pakistani: "‘I have explained in my letter to prime minister Bhutto the peaceful nature’ Look who's talking? The crime & war queen of 71′s talking about peace… How bizarre." Respected Pakistani........get out of that mindset and ask your sensible countrymen as to what really happened in 1971. As for the news item is concerned,,there is nothing secretive about it since it was told to the Indian parliament.
Hilarious. People will believe Wikileaks the moment they say something some conspiracy theorist stated. But something against our national pride? "IMPOSSIBLE" "WHAT A JOKE".
Well its not a secret, she informed the parliament from where the embassy picked it up
Its not an ipod.
Its Rs100 Silver coin launched by her.
If it is a statement made inside Indian Parliament, why do you need a secret Wikileaks cable to find that?
Since most of the readers are focussing their reactions on way for device held rather than the news, let ' me guess - it must be radiation detector like Geiga counter. Now how about news - there is a time when someone fight & there is time when someone relents. In those moments anything is possible after all feelings are not always same. It is like those who may have come to regret moving to Pakistan. I am sure Ahmedis, many shias & muhajirs must be regretting joining Pakistan at its birth which they must have joined very enthusiastically in 1947. You could also think that Indira or lndra as someone called her - was in magnanimous mood or how else she could give away the land & prisoners she had won by inviting Bhutto to Shimla. In some ways, it was good that Pakistan went its own way for nuclear empowerment as otherwise both these countries would have been locked together. It would have needed far more strength to overcome opposition within Pakistan. Did Bhutto had it in him to overcome local forces? lndra could have done anything without a care of any opposition in India but I am glad that it did not happen.
The Indian parliament has 500 plus members from extreme rightwing to communist parties. The opposition was staunch enemy of Indira and her party. In fact many in her own party would have used these lines against her and her family. Out of more than 500 members, and four decades it takes the US media to disclose what Indira had told the whole parliament! Not a single member of parliament, staff and their families disclose this big secret in 40 long years? Yet the US media and Wiki Leaks got that news. It is like saying that Indian parliament was more secretive and faithful to one person and not the whole nation! This news is yet another attempt to kill the two leaders of Pakistan and India once again. The heading “Indira Gandhi had offered nuclear technology to Pakistan” is like she was an army dictator and owned the country and all its resources!
Looks like she's holding an iPod prototype. Did the Indian's also offer Apple that design?
@Assad:
Wikileaks are authentic diplomatic cables. that's why no government contests or acknowledges them. Unless of course you are referring to the famous fake wikileaks from Pakistan. In which case, you are right.
@Bangladeshi: "Even we bangladesh like to offer nuclear know how to pakistan" I am not sure about nuclear know how but definitely south Asia can learn a lot from Bangladesh's development in the field of Socio-political and economic front..................all the best wishes for Bangladesh!!!!!
Yet another evidence of unparalleled vision of great Bhutto.
'I have explained in my letter to prime minister Bhutto the peaceful nature' Look whos talking? The crime & war queen of 71's talking about peace... How bizzare.
@Naveen: A friendly India.... Impossible. India has never been nor would be friendly to anyone except Israel.
I have to agree with my Indian friend here... India got divided not because of British but because of ourselves; we didn't wanted to live together, which we were doing for centuries. The same happened between India and Pakistan. One might deny a thousand times but fact remains.... if we would've been united through thick and thin, India couldn't ever been able to divide us, it's 'us' who are responsible for that.
What a joke? ET get over it. Do something useful than publishing jokes on first page
Yeah. Sure.
Thanks everybody for not spelling her name as "Indra Gandhi" instead of " Indira Gandhi".
@umar: "They destroyed and divided us". Umar - India got divided. Who gets the credit? The British? No. The Indians. We fought. We didn't want to live together, and hence the division. Can you apply the same logic to Pakistan's division? Yes.
India did not Divide Pakistan. Bangldesh Is Still there 90% Muslim You can still join with Bangladesh and become one again. No Body stops you. See if Bangladesh wants to Join Pakistan Again. Don't blame India,belame yourself. See if Bangali Muslim wants to join with Muslim Pakistan 98% Muslim,it is that easy.
The i in iPOD is for Indira. She visualized it in the seventies. Her family was from Kashmir. And guess what Kashmir is famous for - apples! Got it?
indira gandhi used to listen to the rolling stones on her ipod in early seventies when even walkman didnt come out yet. it is said that steve jobs was doing his sabatical in new delhi during that time.
@naeem khan Manhattan,Ks: "it was Indira Gandhi who planned and executed the war in Bungla Desh"
It was not Indira but India & Mukti Bahini who did it. Policies for a nation are not made by one person alone.
Instead of making villains, You should ask yourself why India was not so proactive in case of Sri Lanka's Civil War or Tibetan rebellion against China in 1950s. Allow me to introduce you to the brutal fact -> India and Pakistan have been locked in a covert & overt war of accretion ever since their independence. India being bigger has a more likelihood to survive in this war of accretion and has little incentive to unilaterally disengage. Given the smaller size & lesser resources, The biggest losses will most likely be on Pakistani side (as they have been in the past) . It is high time Pakistan starts thinking about its 'real' national interest instead of continuing to engage in this self destructive war of accretion. A friendly India would solve some of the biggest problems confronting Pakistan on domestic and International front.
false information,time and again wikileaks comes up with controversial cables which nobody can confirm are authentic so why discuss them?
Looks like a Photo Shop image of Indira Gandhi. Why she is holding IPOD in 1974 when it was available to public in 2000 or maybe India is ahead of the technology curve.
Exactly os our brother Naem explained this was her tactic to destroy Pakistan. It was not enough just dividing Bangladesh. They destroyed and divided us and aafter everything Indian wants peace with Pakistan very strange!
I guess she was going to make a whole issue about it had Bhutto accepted and pursued the offer. Pakistan would have been sanctioned right then for showing an "intent to pursue" a technology that provides the basis for WMD. One of the few good decisions in our history!
sounds too good to be realistic. One day we might read a leak that Nawaz Sharif refused to co-operate with banned Jihadi outfits even tough Saudis called for it so we will believe it too?
She is just holding a hand held compass, not an i pod....
@Arsalan Mujahid: "IMPOSSIBLE" Note the statemen:“I have explained in my letter to prime minister Bhutto the peaceful nature and the economic purposes of this experiment and have also stated that India is willing to share her nuclear technology with Pakistan in the same way she is willing to share it with other countries, provided proper conditions for understanding and trust are created. I once again repeat this assurance,” *" The nuclear know-how offered was that for peaceful purposes. All nations who have that know-how do the same. Nothing out-of-the-ordinary here, much less impossible. It was the right thing to do to reassure Pakistan
Why is she holding an ipod?
Pakistan is more benevolent in these things , we offered nuclear services to N Korea,Iraq,Libya and Iran .
@ Another Pakistani
yes. She invented it.
That is an IPOD wow she's way ahead of time
No regrets.
Even we bangladesh like to offer nuclear know how to pakistan
Is she holding an iPod?
IMPOSSIBLE
u r welcome pakistan :)
Prime Minister Bhutto understood the intricacies of this offer and he opted for do it alone without India's help. Here, it was Indira Gandhi who planned and executed the war in Bungla Desh and was offering to share the nuclear technology with Pakistan after the division of Pakistan. One had to be a gullible as they come to take up that offer, Bhutto was smart and shrewed enough to see the bottom of it and he was right and that is called Statesmanship which Pakistan lacked ever since he was executed by General Zia, history will never forgive General Zia.