Prime Minister Narendra Modi, never one to shy away from history lessons with a pinch of political masala, threw a rather unexpected book recommendation into the Lok Sabha mix—Bruce Riedel’s JFK’s Forgotten Crisis. The book, a deep dive into Indo-US relations during the Kennedy era, became the backdrop for Modi’s subtle yet sizzling insinuation: Was Jawaharlal Nehru more engrossed in socializing with the Kennedy family’s glamorous ladies—Jacqueline and Pat Kennedy—than in hard-nosed diplomacy with John F. Kennedy himself?
“Kennedy…felt that Nehru seemed more interested in talking with Jackie than with him.”
-Bruce Riedel in “JFK’s forgotten crisis”. pic.twitter.com/e0hqmGX1Ac
— Rishi Bagree (@rishibagree) February 4, 2025
The remark, as expected, sent political commentators scrambling for their metaphorical magnifying glasses and opposition leaders reaching for their rebuttal scripts. But let’s pause for a moment and indulge in the what ifs—because, let’s be honest, history with a dash of imagination is far more entertaining.
PM Shri Narendra Modi during his speech in the Parliament mentioned how the book ‘JFK’s Forgotten Crisis’ has thrown light on former Prime Minister Nehru and his activities on pretext of foreign diplomacy, when the nation was facing challenging times.
The book, written by… pic.twitter.com/Y2YjK7HFmh
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) February 4, 2025
Diplomacy or High-Society Tea Party of Nehru
Imagine the corridors of the White House, echoing not with tense Cold War negotiations but with the soft laughter of Nehru and Jacqueline Kennedy exchanging notes on fashion.
Meanwhile, JFK, waiting in the next room with maps and policy briefs, taps his fingers impatiently. Was the Cuban Missile Crisis being sidelined in favor of a more pressing debate—chiffon versus khadi?
If Modi’s remark were to be taken in its spiciest interpretation, we might even imagine Nehru and Pat Kennedy bonding over poetry and philosophy while JFK wondered why his guest of honor was missing from a crucial strategic discussion.
Cold War Politics or Warm Social Gatherings of Nehru
The early 1960s were no time for idle chit-chat. China was flexing its muscles, Pakistan was ever eager to stir trouble, and the U.S. was carefully calculating its geopolitical chess moves. And yet, Modi’s quip nudges us to consider whether Nehru’s engagement with the Kennedys blurred the lines between diplomacy and high-society charm.
Was the Indian Prime Minister navigating foreign policy with JFK, or was he too enamored by the cultural and intellectual appeal of America’s first family? Was Nehru’s foreign policy a strategic handshake or a courteous ballroom twirl?
Of course, history isn’t a Bollywood script where diplomacy is interrupted by an impromptu waltz, but Modi’s reference does raise the question—how much of Nehru’s foreign engagements were influenced by personal relationships rather than hard strategy?
A Political Roast with Historical Footnotes
Modi’s remark wasn’t just a literary reference; it was a political tadka designed to get reactions, and it did just that. The Congress camp immediately dismissed it as yet another attempt to distort history, while BJP supporters relished the punchline.
Regardless of political leanings, one thing remains clear—historical narratives are often more intriguing than we realize. Whether Nehru was an astute statesman caught in the charm of the Kennedy clan or a master strategist using personal rapport to India’s advantage, the debate remains open.
For now, we can only imagine a world where policy meetings were followed by elite White House soirées, where diplomatic dispatches were exchanged alongside fashion compliments, and where world leaders occasionally took a break from geopolitics… for a sip of tea and some fine conversation.
But as Modi’s Lok Sabha reference reminds us, in politics, the past is never truly forgotten—it is simply repackaged with a new punchline.