It has been fifty years since India achieved a historic military victory against Pakistan on two fronts- northern( West Pakistan) and eastern(East Pakistan) culminating in the capture of over 90,000 Pakistani military personnel in East Pakistan on December 16,1971 and most importantly, dismembering Pakistan through the liberation of East Pakistan and creation of a new nation called Bangladesh. Earlier in 1965, Pakistan had attempted to internationalise the Kashmir issue when it sent in thousands of armed personnel to the north- Jammu & Kashmir to create an uprising. Pakistan under Gen.Ayub Khan thought that India will not be able to resist a prolonged and sustained push especially after its devastating defeat at the hands of the Chinese in 1962,was proved wrong. India responded and launched an attack in the western front. In the 17-day war in 1965 both armies suffered huge casualties and both had lost around a hundred aircraft each. In the Indo-Pak war, one of the largest tank battle of the 1965 war, also compared with the famous Battle of Kursk(in second world war), called Battle of Asal Uttar, India destroyed around 130 superior Pakistani Patton tanks besides capturing around 50 others. The success was attributed to the strategy adopted by Brig. Thomas Krishnan Theograj after the loss of Khem Kharan. There was no clear winner in the Indo-Pak war of 1965 when cease fire was called by the UN. g. When Indira Gandhi became prime minister during 1971,Pakistan thought, she could hardly be any different from her father Jawaharlal Nehru ( who mishandled Indo-China war in 1962 ) and Lal Bahadur Shastri (who hastily agreed to cease fire in 1965). During those days, freedom movement in erstwhile East Pakistan was a ignited by total deprivation of political and economic rights of the Bengali speaking Muslims. Though East Pakistan earned over 70% of exports, it got only 25% of the shares. In the 1970 Pakistan elections, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s Awami League won an absolute majority in the 313-Pakistan National Assembly, but he was denied the chance to form the government. Instead he was arrested on trumped-up charges and faced prospects of being sentenced to death. This was the last straw for the people in East Pakistan. It was also the beginning of reprisals by the West Pakistani military leaders. Indira Gandhi tried to talk sense to the Pakistani leaders but failed. The Pakistani generals had misjudged Indira when they mistook her patience for weakness. Indira with Army chief General (later Field Marshal) .S.H.F.J Manekshaw prepared for the worst. To her credit, Indira allowed Gen.Manekshaw full freedom to plan and prepare for a war. Though Indira wanted an early offensive against East Pakistan , her army chief disagreed and told her to leave the fighting to him. Field Marshal(FM) Manekshaw on his part, fully backed and supported his field commander Gen.Jagjit Singh Aurora, GOC Eastern Command, to handle the war theatre with the Indian Air Force(IAF) and Indian Navy(IN). India defeated Pakistan decisively in both the Northern and Eastern fronts. Pakistani Gen.A.A. K.Niazi surrendered to Gen.J.S.Aurora on December 16,1971 with over 90,000 Pakistani military personnel. Indira should be credited for her astute leadership in keeping the pro-Pakistan Western powers at bay while the army achieved its goal. She also held the nation together in those trying days which made even her staunchest political critics to humbly admit : “ These Days Madam, You’re Adam”.
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