- India – Pakistan War (1947 – 48)
- Context and Causes
- Partition of British India (1947): The partition created India and Pakistan, leading to large-scale migration and communal violence. The princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, which was a Muslim-majority region, became a key issue in the partition.
- Accession of Kashmir to India: The Maharaja of Kashmir, Hari Singh, chose to remain independent, but when Pakistani tribal forces (backed by Pakistan) invaded Kashmir in October 1947, he requested military assistance from India.
- Indian Intervention: In exchange for military help, the Maharaja agreed to accede to India, signing the Instrument of Accession on October 26, 1947. India sent troops to defend Kashmir.
- Timeline of War
- Initial Fighting (October-November 1947): The Pakistani tribal forces, which were later supported by Pakistan’s regular army, advanced towards Srinagar. India’s military intervention helped push the invaders back.
- Conflict Escalates: Fighting continued, with both countries sending in more troops. Kashmir was divided, with India controlling about two-thirds of the region and Pakistan controlling the remaining third.
- UN Intervention
- The war led to a ceasefire brokered by the United Nations on January 1, 1949. A Line of Control (LoC) was established, effectively dividing Kashmir into Indian-administered and Pakistan-administered regions.
- Outcome
- Division of Kashmir: The conflict resulted in the division of Kashmir, with the region remaining a disputed territory between India and Pakistan.
- UN Mediation: The UN called for a plebiscite (vote) to determine Kashmir’s future, but this never took place, mainly due to disagreements over the terms of the plebiscite.
- Continued Tension: The war set the stage for continuing conflict and tensions between India and Pakistan, with Kashmir remaining a central issue in their bilateral relations. This conflict led to further wars, including the 1965 and 1971 wars and the Issue continues.
- Context and Causes
- India-Pakistan War (1965)
- A key event during Shastri’s reign was the Indo-Pak War that broke out in 1965.
- The long-running Kashmir issue between India and Pakistan was the root of the conflict.
- Since both countries gained their independence in 1947, tensions in the region have remained high.
- Tensions between India and Pakistan increased in the early months of 1965 due to the Rann of Kutch conflict.
- Even though the dispute was contained and ultimately settled through mediation, it created the conditions for more hostilities.
- Pakistan launched “Operation Gibraltar,” a plan to infiltrate militants into Jammu and Kashmir to incite a rebellion. This action increased tensions and aided the beginning of the conflict.
- On April 5, 1965, Pakistan launched air raids against Indian airbases, effectively starting the war.
- There was conventional combat as well as skirmishing along the international border and the Line of Control in Kashmir.
- One of the main fights occurred in the Khem Karan sector, where the Indian Armed Forces, particularly the Indian Army’s 4th Infantry Division, were critical in resisting Pakistani advances.
- The war was brought to a conclusion by a cease-fire negotiated by the Soviet Union and the United States. Both nations agreed to withdraw their forces to pre-war positions in the Tashkent Agreement, signed on January 10, 1966.
- Notable occurrences during this war included Shastri’s leadership and the Tashkent Agreement, which was mediated by Soviet Premier Alexei Kosygin.
- Outcomes – The Tashkent Agreement in1966 marked the end of the 1965 Indo-Pak War and facilitated the normalisation of relations between India and Pakistan.
- Bangladesh Liberation War (1971)
- Background
- Partition of British India (1947) based on Religion
- Language and Cultural Differences–East Pakistan and West Pakistan had significant linguistic, cultural, and economic differences.
- East Pakistanis were dissatisfied with the central government’s policies, which were frequently viewed as discriminatory.
- Events that led to War
- The Awami League, led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, scored a landslide win in East Pakistan’s general elections in 1970. The central government in West Pakistan, on the other hand, was hesitant to hand up power to the Awami League, resulting in a political crisis.
- The Pakistani military started Operation Searchlight in March 1971, a ruthless assault on political activists, students, and the general people in East Pakistan. This military assault was intended to quell demands for autonomy and independence.
- On March 26, 1971, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared Bangladesh’s independence. The armed battle for independence began with this declaration.
- War
- The Mukti Bahini, or Liberation Army, was formed with Indian government support and consisted of Bengali military personnel and civilians. They battled the Pakistani troops.
- As the battle grew more intense, millions of refugees fled to India. India, led by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, intervened in support of the Bengali independence movement in response to the humanitarian crisis.
- In December 1971, the confrontation between India and Pakistan escalated into a full-fledged war. The Indian force, allied with the Mukti Bahini, defeated the Pakistani troops decisively.
- Result
- On December 16, 1971, Pakistan officially surrendered to the joint Indian and Mukti Bahini forces, leading to the creation of the independent nation of Bangladesh.
- Background
- Indo Pak War of 1999 (Kargil War)
- Causes
- Infiltration: The war was triggered by the infiltration of Pakistani soldiers and militants disguised as Kashmiri insurgents into Indian territory along the Line of Control (LoC).
- Strategic Locations: The infiltrators occupied key positions on the Indian side of the LoC, threatening the security of the region.
- Key Events
- Discovery of Infiltration: The Indian military detected the infiltration in early May 1999 and launched Operation Vijay to evict the intruders.
- Air Support: The Indian Air Force conducted airstrikes under Operation Safed Sagar (meaning “White Sea” in Hindi) to support ground operations.
- High-Altitude Warfare: The conflict took place in harsh mountainous terrain at altitudes of up to 5,000 meters (16,400 feet), posing significant logistical challenges.
- Key Figures
- Indian Leadership: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Defence Minister George Fernandes, and Army Chief General Ved Prakash Malik.
- Pakistani Leadership: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff General Pervez Musharraf.
- Outcome
- Indian Victory: India successfully regained control of the infiltrated areas, forcing the Pakistani troops to withdraw.
- Casualties: India officially reported 527 soldiers killed and 1,363 wounded, while Pakistan’s casualties were estimated to be between 400 and 4,000 soldiers.
- International Response
- Diplomatic Pressure: The international community, led by the United States, exerted diplomatic pressure on Pakistan to withdraw its forces.
- Ceasefire: A ceasefire was declared on July 26, 1999, following intense diplomatic efforts.
- Aftermath
- Treaty of Lahore: The conflict led to the signing of the Treaty of Lahore in 2004, which aimed to improve relations between India and Pakistan.
- Ongoing Tensions: The Kargil War highlighted the ongoing tensions between the two countries over the Kashmir region.
- Causes