[Cronos]

well it was a commie govt in India granted a Democratically elected one.

India's never had a commie central government -- it has two states (out of 28) that have had democratically elected communist governments who've won and lost. India was socialist, still is, though it is dismantling that now that its improving its own lot.

India was allied with Russia at the time

No. India was friendly with Russia and still is for a very good reason -- Russia and India have lots of points in common, #1 being to contain their mutual neighbor: China, with whom both have fougth wars.

Plus, most Indians keep emphasising that Russia is their true friend. There's no way we could split the two nations -- they trust each other completely.

Nixon was a virulent anticommunist

Oh, I guess that's why he got so pally with the COMMUNIST Chinese?

[Racehorse]

India was allied with Russia at the time

No. India was friendly with Russia and still is for a very good reason -- Russia and India have lots of points in common, #1 being to contain their mutual neighbor: China, with whom both have fougth wars.

Plus, most Indians keep emphasising that Russia is their true friend. There's no way we could split the two nations -- they trust each other completely.

The August 1971 friendship pact with the Soviet Union made them what . . . just friendly friends?

Remember, during this period the overriding objective was to contain the Soviet Union.  Hence, ping pong diplomacy and Pakistani go-betweens.

From "The SVR:  Russia's Intelligence Service," a March 2000 paper written by Gordon Bennet.

India was an ideal country for the Soviet intelligence services. Large, chaotic and poor, India was a useful ally, and natural opponent of China, especially after the border clashes between the USSR and China in 1968. The generation of activists fighting for India’s independence and hostile to both the UK and the USA held many important posts in the Indian administration.

[DM1]

Hey pal you want to get specific fine:
"The Congress split into two in 1969, the new factions being the Congress (O)--for Organisation--and Mrs. Gandhi's Congress (R)--for Requisition. The Congress (R) continued in power with the support of non-Congress groups, principally the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK--Dravidian Progressive Federation)."
more "Indira Gandhi wanted to use a populist agenda in order to mobilize popular support for the party. She raised slogans such as Garibi Hatao (Remove Poverty), and wanted to develop closer ties with the Soviet Union. "

what i should have stated was a Quasi Communist govt VERY FRIENDLY with the SOVIET UNION

as for Nixon the man knew how to play sides against one another
he exploited things like this:
"After 1967 the Cultural Revolution overthrew the existing structures of state and party in China. The only significant party apart from the Albanians to support the Chinese line was the Communist Party of Indonesia, which was destroyed during a military coup in 1965. Maoist parties were formed in many countries.

The Sino-Soviet confrontation had now become a conflict between states. In January 1967, Red Guards besieged the Soviet Embassy in Beijing. Diplomatic relations were never formally broken, but they went into a deep freeze. The Chinese also chose to raise the issue of the Sino-Soviet border, which was the result of nineteenth century treaties imposed on the weakened Qing Dynasty by Czarist Russia. China did not make specific territorial demands, but insisted that the Soviets acknowledge that the treaties were unjust. The Soviets flatly refused to discuss the issue."
and made China a semi-ally
look i am no fan of ChiComms but Nixon used the split between China and the Soviets to our advantage
yes i am generalizing and have no time to quibble just learn to relax when reading posts

[Destro]

Well said.