Indo-Pakistan War of 1971

Indo-Pakistan War of 1971

Indo-Pakistan War of 1971 was a military conflict between India and Pakistan. The precursor to the war is believed to be Operation Chengiz Khan, Pakistan's December 3rd pre-emptive strikes on Indian air bases. Lasting just 13 days, it is considered on of the shortest wars in history. During the war, Indian and Pakistani forces clashed on both the eastern and western borders. The war effectively ended on December 16th, 1971, when the Eastern Army Command of Pakistan signed the Instrument of Surrender. Around 97,368 West Pakistanis who were in East Pakistan at the time of its independence, including some 79,700 Pakistan Army soldiers and paramilitary personnel and 12,500 civilians, were taken as prisoners of war by India.

Bangladesh Liberation War:

The East Pakistani Awami League, led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, won majority seats in the 1970 election, and staked its claim to form the government. However, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the Prime Minister, refused to yield the premiership to Rahman. President Yahya Khan called on the military to supress any dissent. Simultaneously, the Pakistani army indulged in the killing and torture of several million Bengalis in East Pakistan, particularly the Hindus. This resulted in 10 million people fleeing to the neighbouring Indian states of West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura. The Indian government pleaded with the world for support, but to no avail. Troops built up along the Indo Pak border, and by November, war seemed inevitable.

India's Engagement with Pakistan:

On the 3rd of December, Pakistani aircraft launched a preemptive assault on Indian air bases, including Agra, 480 kilometres away from the border. Indira Gandhi saw this as an act of war, and almost immediately launched retaliatory initial air strikes the same evening. By the next morning, the air strikes had become widespread and rampant. Prime Minister Gandhi ordered the immediate mobilization of troops and launched the full-scale invasion. Indian forces responded with a massive coordinated air, sea, and land assault. Indian Air Force started flying sorties against Pakistan from midnight and quickly achieved air superiority. The main Indian Objective on the Western front was to prevent Pakistan from entering Indian soil. There was no Indian intention of conducting any major offensive into West Pakistan. India successfully attacked Karachi two days running through the seaport. The first day 3 warships were seriously damaged, and the second day, reserve fuel tanks and roads were torpedoed. The Navy also created a blockade in the Bay of Bengal, preventing Pakistani ships from moving along the coast. In the standoff that followed, 7 gunboats, 2 destroyers, 1 minesweeper and 1 submarine were destroyed. In addition, the Pakistani navy lost one third of its strength in the war. The Army advanced and took control of 14000 square kilometers of Pakistani goodwill, but then ceded the land in a gesture of goodwill.

American and Soviet Involvement:

President Nixon and Secretary Kissinger feared the Soviet invasion of Southeast Asia, and materially and politically supported Pakistan in the battle. He convinced Iran and Iraq to send support, and even deployed the USS Enterprise in the Bay of Bengal to monitor activity. However, the Indians were backed by the Soviets. They deployed two groups of ships and two nuclear submarines to keep other forces in check. The Soviet Union sympathized with the Bangladeshis, and supported the Indian Army and Mukti Bahini during the war, recognizing that the independence of Bangladesh would weaken the position of its rivals—the United States and China. The USSR gave assurances to India that if a confrontation with the United States or China developed, it would take counter-measures. This assurance was enshrined in the Indo-Soviet friendship treaty signed in August 1971.

Aftermath:

India:

India established its dominance in the subcontinent via the 1971 war. It became clear that India was a force to reckon with in the region. However, Indian reactions were muted. Indian leaders seemed pleased with the relative ease of the war, and overjoyed at Bangladesh's independence. Indo-US relations took a hit, and Indo-Soviet relations continued to flourish because of the Soviet support. The war marked a departure from India's typical Gandhi-Nehruvian pacifist tendencies.

Pakistan:

Pakistan lost half its population, a large proportion of its armed forces, and was humiliated by the Indians. The Pakistani military lost its prestige, and Yahya Khan relinquished the presidency to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Pakistan diverted its attention toward further destabilizing Jammu and Kashmir, and secretly diverted resources toward nuclear weapon development.

Bangladesh:

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladesh's valiant leader, went on to become Prime Minister of free Bangladesh. Bangladesh lost 300000 people in the war to the atrocities of the Pakistani army, but were free, and became the third most populous Muslim nation in the world.