Indo-Pakistani War of 1971

The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a major armed conflict between India and Pakistan that led to the creation of Bangladesh. Fought from 3 to 16 December 1971, it was the third war between the two nations since their independence in 1947 and is regarded as one of the shortest and most decisive wars in modern military history. The conflict stemmed from deep political, ethnic, and linguistic tensions within Pakistan and culminated in India’s intervention in support of the Bengali nationalist movement in East Pakistan.

Background and Causes of the War

The roots of the 1971 war lay in the political and cultural divide between East and West Pakistan. Despite being geographically separated by about 1,600 kilometres of Indian territory, the two regions had been unified under one state following the partition of British India in 1947. However, they differed sharply in language, culture, and economic development.
East Pakistan (modern-day Bangladesh) had a larger population, yet political and economic power remained concentrated in West Pakistan. Over time, resentment grew among the Bengali-speaking population of the East due to perceived political marginalisation and economic neglect.
The situation escalated after the general elections of December 1970, the first democratic polls in Pakistan’s history. The Awami League, led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, won a decisive majority, securing 167 out of 169 East Pakistani seats in the 313-member National Assembly. This gave Mujibur Rahman an overall majority, entitling him to form the federal government. However, Pakistan’s military ruler, General Yahya Khan, and West Pakistani political leader Zulfikar Ali Bhutto refused to transfer power to the Awami League.
Following failed negotiations, tensions in East Pakistan exploded into a mass movement for autonomy, which soon transformed into an independence struggle.

Operation Searchlight and the Refugee Crisis

On 25 March 1971, the Pakistani military launched Operation Searchlight, a brutal campaign to suppress the Bengali nationalist movement. The operation targeted students, intellectuals, and political activists, resulting in widespread atrocities. Cities such as Dhaka, Khulna, and Chittagong witnessed mass killings and destruction.
International observers and the United Nations estimated that the violence led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands, while Bangladesh sources claim that over three million people perished during the conflict. The campaign triggered a humanitarian catastrophe, with approximately 10 million refugees fleeing to neighbouring India, primarily to the states of West Bengal, Tripura, and Assam.
The massive refugee influx placed enormous economic and social pressure on India, compelling the government led by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to intervene diplomatically and eventually militarily.

Indian Involvement and Outbreak of War

Initially, India extended political and humanitarian support to the Bengali independence movement, known as the Mukti Bahini (Freedom Fighters). The Indian Army, under the leadership of General Sam Manekshaw, provided training and logistical assistance to the Mukti Bahini.
By mid-1971, as the situation deteriorated and Pakistan continued its military operations in the East, India began preparing for a full-scale intervention. In December 1971, Pakistan launched pre-emptive air strikes on Indian airbases in the western sector, including Amritsar, Pathankot, Srinagar, and Agra. This marked the official commencement of hostilities between the two nations on 3 December 1971.
In response, India declared war on Pakistan, mobilising its forces on both the eastern and western fronts.

Major Military Operations

The war was fought on two main fronts — the Eastern Front (East Pakistan) and the Western Front (India–West Pakistan border).

1. Eastern Front:
   • The Indian Army, under Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora, launched a swift and coordinated campaign into East Pakistan.
   • Indian forces, working in conjunction with the Mukti Bahini, advanced rapidly towards Dhaka, encircling key cities such as Jessore, Khulna, and Sylhet.
   • The Eastern Command’s strategy focused on speed and mobility, bypassing heavily defended positions to cut off the capital from reinforcements.
   • Within two weeks, Indian and Mukti Bahini forces had completely surrounded Dhaka.
2. Western Front:
   • On the western side, Indian forces conducted simultaneous offensives in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Rajasthan.
   • The Indian Air Force (IAF) achieved air superiority early in the conflict, conducting deep strikes on Pakistani positions and logistics bases.
   • The Indian Navy launched Operation Trident and Operation Python, successfully blockading the Karachi harbour and destroying several Pakistani naval assets.

The coordinated operations by India’s army, navy, and air force demonstrated high levels of planning and execution, leading to Pakistan’s rapid military collapse in the East.

Surrender and Creation of Bangladesh

On 16 December 1971, Lieutenant General A. A. K. Niazi, commander of the Pakistani forces in East Pakistan, formally surrendered to Lieutenant General J. S. Aurora of the Indian Army in Dhaka. This event marked one of the largest military surrenders since the Second World War, involving nearly 93,000 Pakistani troops, who became prisoners of war (POWs).
Following the surrender, Bangladesh declared its independence, with Sheikh Mujibur Rahman—who had been detained in West Pakistan—later returning to become the nation’s first Prime Minister in January 1972.
The war officially ended on 17 December 1971, when a ceasefire was declared on the western front.

International Response

The 1971 war drew intense international attention.

• The United States and China were seen as supportive of Pakistan due to Cold War alignments, while the Soviet Union backed India.
• India and the USSR had signed the Indo-Soviet Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation in August 1971, providing India with crucial diplomatic and strategic assurance.
• The U.S. Seventh Fleet, led by the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise, moved into the Bay of Bengal as a show of support for Pakistan, but it arrived too late to influence the outcome.
• The global community largely welcomed the creation of Bangladesh, recognising it as a legitimate expression of the Bengali people’s right to self-determination.

Casualties and Consequences

The war was short but intense, lasting just 13 days, and resulted in significant human and material losses:

• Pakistan: Around 8,000–9,000 military personnel killed, and 93,000 captured.
• India: Approximately 3,000 soldiers killed and 10,000 wounded.
• Civilian casualties: Estimated in the millions, mostly in East Pakistan, due to widespread atrocities committed during Operation Searchlight.

The outcome of the war had far-reaching consequences:

• Creation of Bangladesh: The most significant result was the birth of a new nation, breaking Pakistan into two separate countries.
• Severe blow to Pakistan: The loss of its eastern wing and the humiliation of military defeat led to political instability, culminating in General Yahya Khan’s resignation and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s rise to power.
• Boost to Indian prestige: India emerged as a major regional power, and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi gained widespread acclaim domestically and internationally.
• Shift in South Asian geopolitics: The war altered the regional balance, with India asserting greater influence in South Asia.

Aftermath and the Simla Agreement

In July 1972, the leaders of India and Pakistan — Indira Gandhi and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto — signed the Simla Agreement, which aimed to normalise relations and lay down the principles for future peace. Key provisions included:

• Withdrawal of troops to pre-war boundaries.
• Conversion of the Ceasefire Line in Jammu and Kashmir into the Line of Control (LoC).
• Commitment to resolve disputes through bilateral negotiations.

While the Simla Agreement restored formal peace, tensions between the two countries continued, and the Kashmir issue remained unresolved.