Analyse the circumstances that led to the Tashkent Agreement in 1966. Discuss the highlights of the agreement. (UPSC 2013)

The Tashkent Agreement (10 Jan 1966) followed the 1965 Indo-Pak war, which ended in a military and diplomatic stalemate. Pakistan’s Operation Gibraltar failed to trigger revolt in Kashmir, fighting widened, and both sides accepted the UN ceasefire of 22 Sept 1965. Heavy war losses, economic strain, and fear of escalation, including possible Chinese involvement, pushed India and Pakistan to negotiate under Soviet mediation by Kosygin.

• Highlights: Both countries agreed to withdraw to pre-5 Aug 1965 positions and restore normal relations.
• They undertook to respect the UN Charter, settle disputes peacefully, refrain from force and non-interference, revive diplomatic, trade, transport and communication links, and repatriate prisoners of war; propaganda against each other was to stop.

The pact restored peace but left the Kashmir issue unresolved.