Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 300 › Conversation 300-013

Nixon & Kissinger on India-Pakistan relations and Indira Gandhi

Thursday, November 4, 1971 · 1:48 PM–3:47 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 4 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.Conversation300-013 on Tape 300 (tape position 00:22:23–00:26:34)StartThursday, November 4, 1971 at 1:48 PMEndThursday, November 4, 1971 at 3:47 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 300-013 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Henry Kissinger discuss strategies for managing relations with India and Pakistan ahead of a meeting with Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Nixon expresses deep frustration with the Indian leadership and skepticism regarding their intentions toward Pakistan, urging Secretary of State William Rogers to adopt a tougher diplomatic stance. They also touch upon Vietnam negotiations, specifically addressing the status of American POWs and military operations in Laos and Cambodia.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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In the memorandum of Bill Rogers, you might say that I had the distinct impression that despite all of the protestations, that they were trying to create a situation to warm the war and so forth.
Yeah, yeah.
I always say they want to wake up with it.
And, you know, after all, for her to take 30 minutes of time, you know, and after I, it's very specific and very candid, and she's bullshitted around about how the tax center is set up and all, and now for Christ's sake, I know that.
You know, wouldn't that be an amusing view?
Typical of how... That's right.
And that I came down on my idea that, and I want Bill to do it more directly and more toughly, that is to reemphasize it even more hard, that the war comes and jiggers up as far as we're concerned.
I mean, on the 8th.
Also, you might get...
The thing is, I can well see, you know, God damn it, we got Keating and a separate week over there and others and they all roll over and they're just totally taken into the Indian.
God, do they, you know, to me, they turn me off.
How the hell do they turn other people on?
Tell me.
What do you think?
She didn't cheat.
Yeah, that's my view.
They turn me off.
They are repulsive, and it's just easy to be tough on them.
And it's only that it's only because it's good.
And our people, I think, I think our people lead them on.
You know, I do know this guy's bad, but he had a couple of shots from Teddy and a few others, and the press, and the fact that we're getting
I want to be sure Roger backs up the idea that I have a strong feeling.
I reassured her on the aid.
I reassured her that we're working with Yahya.
I reassured her that we need to keep those relations to do so.
And then when I came down to what we should do,
They were very vague, and I get the impression that despite their protestations that they sit there really, really thinking they want to break up all the time.
Oh no, when I left, I said, all right, but listen, we're going to bring it up in control tomorrow.
So you mean do the same thing I did to Tito?
No, but do what I said that you don't.
Yeah.
Oh, yeah, I'll just say it very quietly.
I just said you routinely go out and know that this book is done.
This is our last offer.
And we have no choice, of course, to continue with our program.
They have 400 prisoners in certain kinds of societies.
I will have to do what I've done.
I'm in Laos and Cambodia, and I won't be against Laos or Cambodia.
I just want her to go yank around.
Don't worry, I'll do that.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Things will go all right.
Oh, I know that's what it was going to be.
What we were doing.
Yeah.
All right.

NARA Description

On November 4, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:48 pm and 3:47 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 300-013 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 300-013

Date: November 4, 1971
Time: Unknown between 1:48 pm and 3:47 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with Henry A. Kissinger.

     The President’s memorandum to William P. Rogers

*****************************************************************

       Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542

[Previous National Security (B) withdrawal reviewed under MDR guidelines case number
LPRN-T-MDR-2012-001. Segment declassified on 03/19/2015. Archivist: DR]
[National Security]
[300-013-w001]
[Duration: 46s]

     The President’s memorandum to William P. Rogers
          -The President’s meeting with Indira Gandhi
               -Avoiding war with Pakistan
               -Duration of meeting

*****************************************************************

     The President’s memorandum to William P. Rogers
          -US aid to India
               -Senate

     Kenneth B. Keating

**************************************************************************

[Previous National Security (B) withdrawal reviewed under MDR guidelines case number
LPRN-T-MDR-2012-001. Segment declassified on 03/19/2015. Archivist: DR]
[National Security]
[300-013-w002]
[Duration: 1m 18s]

     Indians
           -President’s opinion of their appearance

     Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy

     The President’s memorandum to William P. Rogers
          -The President’s meeting with Indira Gandhi
               -US aid to India

       Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, NARA Online Public Access Catalog Identifier: 597542

                 -Agha Muhammad Yahya Khan
                 -Possibility of war

**************************************************************************

     The President's forthcoming meeting with Gandhi
          -The President's meeting with Josip Broz Tito
          -Vietnam negotiations
               -Prisoners of war [POWs]
               -Laos, Cambodia

     Kissinger’s meeting with Anatoliy F. Dobrynin

Also recorded on November 4, 1971

  • 013-120 1:48 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:48 pm and 3:47 pm.
  • 300-008 1:48 PM · 38 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:48 pm and 3:47 pm.
  • 300-009 1:48 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:48 pm and 3:47 pm.
  • 300-010 1:48 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:48 pm and 3:47 pm.
  • 300-011 1:48 PM · 31 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:48 pm and 3:47 pm.
  • 300-012 1:48 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:48 pm and 3:47 pm.
  • 300-014 1:48 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:48 pm and 3:47 pm.
  • 300-015 1:48 PM · 50 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:48 pm and 3:47 pm.

All 58 conversations from November 4, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 300-013, November 4, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/300-013 (accessed September 30, 2026).