US State Dept Archives: When Indira Gandhi's Govt Sought US Intervention To Stop 1971 War

During the Lok Sabha debate on Operation Sindoor, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi drew a direct comparison between the current military operation and the 1971 Indo-Pak war, invoking the leadership of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

He stressed that India’s success in 1971 stemmed from “political will” and granting full “freedom of operation” to the armed forces.

“Rajnath Singh compared 1971 and Sindoor. I remind him there was political will in 1971. The Seventh Fleet was approaching India, but the PM then said, Do whatever you have to for Bangladesh. Indira Gandhi told General Manekshaw to take 6 months, 1 year—whatever time needed—for full freedom of action. The result: 1 lakh Pakistani soldiers surrendered, and a new country was formed,” Rahul Gandhi said.

His remarks came as newly declassified US State Department archives revealed a letter dated December 5, 1971, in which Prime Minister Indira Gandhi appealed to US President Richard Nixon to intervene and use his influence over Pakistan to stop its military offensive against India.

Indira Gandhi’s Appeal to Nixon Amid War Crisis

In her letter, Indira Gandhi explained how the “tragic and intolerable ramifications” of events in East Bengal (now Bangladesh) since March 25, 1971, had brought India to the brink of war. She referred to genocide and massive violence unleashed by the Pakistani military in East Bengal, which triggered an unprecedented humanitarian crisis with 10 million refugees pouring into India.

She wrote that India had exercised “great restraint” despite continuous provocations from Pakistan, but repeated efforts through diplomatic channels, the United Nations, and international leaders had failed to persuade Pakistan’s President Yahya Khan to seek a political solution with East Bengal’s elected leaders.

The situation escalated dramatically when, on December 3, 1971, Pakistan launched what Gandhi described as a “massive and premeditated” air and ground attack across India’s western frontier.

Also Read: Rahul Gandhi Bizzarre Remarks During Operation Sindoor Debate

Detailing the assault, she wrote, “Around 1730 hours on the 3rd of December, Pakistan launched a massive air and ground attack on our country all along the western border. Their aircraft bombed Srinagar, Amritsar, Pathankot, Uttarali, Ambala, Agra, Jodhpur, and Avantipur. There has also been heavy shelling of the border cities and townships of Ambala, Ferozepur, Sulaimanki, Khemkaran, Poonch, Mehdipur and Jaiselmere.”

Gandhi pointed out that this was Pakistan’s fourth attack on India since independence, following the wars of 1947, 1948, and 1965. She called the assault carefully organised, citing Yahya Khan’s statement on November 25, 1971, declaring he would be “off to fighting in ten days.”

A Dire Plea for US Intervention

With India forced onto a war footing, Indira Gandhi’s letter carried an urgent tone: “I am writing to you at a moment of grave peril and danger to my country and my people… We are left with no other option but to put our country on a war footing… We are not fighting merely for our territorial integrity but for the basic ideals that have given strength to my country and on which India’s entire future depends.”

In a key passage, Gandhi appealed to Nixon to intervene diplomatically: “In this hour of danger, the Government and the people of India seek your understanding and urge you to persuade Pakistan to desist forthwith from the policy of wanton aggression and military adventurism which it has unfortunately embarked upon."

"May I request Your Excellency to exercise your undoubted influence with the Government of Pakistan to stop their aggressive activities against India and to deal immediately with the genesis of the problem of East Bengal, which has caused so much trial and tribulation to the people not only of Pakistan but of the entire subcontinent,” she added in the letter.

She warned that Pakistan’s aggression had forced India to declare an emergency and that “the grave consequences” would be Pakistan’s responsibility. Despite this, Gandhi maintained that India was a “peace-loving nation,” united in its determination to repel the attack.