Memorandum of Conversation with Secretary of State Dean Acheson, Ambassador of India Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, N. K. Kirpalani, George McGhee, and Philip L. Kelser

45751 5/5 DEPARTMENT OF STATE 891 M.A. Memorandum of Conversation 362 DATE: Decomber 16, 2950 SUBJECT: Emargoney for 2,000,000 Tona of Fooderains for Indie Corf PARTICIPANTS: Rendit - Anbassador of India br. E. x. Kirgelani - Minister. of Indie The Secretery ME - sos - Zelasz COPIES TO: 8/8 E E P Inbassy, New Delhi u. s. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 16---61120-1 I first expressed my distrose at the desth yesterday of Doputy Prime Minister Tatel. Vedase Fandit, after thanking se for by sympathy, seid ebe caa sorry to bother ne tuice in the esne seek but her Governeat had asked her to diseuse imnediately with ne its urgent food situation resulting from a serios of natorel disssters. Vedare Fendit asid they hed consequently bed to incresse their import requiretents of foodgrains from an anticipated 2,500,000 to 4,000,000 and then to 6,000,000 tons. Thay have ando strenuous offorte to acquire foodgraina froa all over the world, including Carada and such sterling contries 05 tustralia and Argentins, but, despite these efforts, they have been able to arzange for only 4,000,000 tons, including the 750,000 tons of allo end 500,000 tona of wheat nou being discussed with US. Thore accordingly rezains e deficit of 2,000,000 tons sad, aince ne are the only source largo esourá to supply aveh a figure, Pendit seid hor Government bad instructed her to request our assistance in up this deficit. Re: I told Medoze Fandit of our svareness of the situation and of our sympathy for bor Governent in its difficulty. I dentioned that the figure required was very lerge, especially in time of great dersnd like Lie present, and stated that DECLASSIFIED acceding STATE DECT. LTR. 3-21-63 Authority NLT PARTECT HLJP3-2 By He NLT Date 5.16-t3