"Navigating Diplomacy in an Era of Change: Indo-U.S. Relations During the Jimmy Carter Administration, 1977–1981"

The 1970s stand out as a pivotal era in international history, defined by intricate geopolitical tensions and heightened U.S.-Soviet competition. This period witnessed the formation of strategic alliances that reshaped global power structures, particularly in third countries like India. By 1971, during the Bangladesh War, U.S.-India relations had become increasingly antagonistic as U.S. military support for Pakistan and India's alliance with the Soviet Union deepened the rift. In 1974, tensions escalated further after India, under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, conducted its first nuclear test, 'Smiling Buddha.' While India's leaders framed their nuclear program as peaceful, their refusal to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) fueled global mistrust. Against this backdrop, the Carter administration (1977–1981) sought to reorient U.S. foreign policy around moral principles and human rights, following the Vietnam War and Watergate scandal. Carter's effort to repair relations with India unfolded amid India's changing leadership: Morarji Desai, Charan Singh, and Indira Gandhi. This thesis analyzes key events between the two countries during the Carter administration, including Carter's visit to India in 1978, his advocacy for the NPT and human rights, his pro-democracy stance, and the U.S. response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. The thesis seeks to explain the changing dynamics of the Indo-U.S. relations during Carter's presidency within the global order.