Vijay Diwas: How India defeated Pakistan in the 1971 war and liberated Bangladesh

As India celebrates the 51st anniversary of Vijay Diwas, very few know the harrowing tale of courage and valour it took for the Indian Armed Forces to gain victory in a two-front war with the Pakistan Army in 1971, which ultimately led to the birth of Bangladesh from erstwhile East Pakistan. The fact that India won the two-front conflict with its neighbour, accepting the surrender of some 93,000 Pakistani troops in the process is well documented. The surrender itself was the largest since the second world war and is notably recognized with a picture of Lt General AK Niazi, Pakistan’s then-chief of Eastern Command signing the documented instrument of surrender while surrounded by Lt General Jagjit Singh Aurora (GOC-in-C of India’s Eastern Command), Vice Admiral N Krishnan (FOC-in-C Eastern Naval Command), Air Marshal HC Dewan (AOC-in-C Eastern Air Command), among other armed forces personnel.  

Furthermore, the daunting resolve and genius of the leadership of the Indian Armed Forces were evident as it took only 13 days for the tri-services to defeat Pakistani forces on both fronts. Vijay Diwas or Dibos is celebrated on December 16 each year to mark India’s victory in the conflict which is also known as the Bangladesh liberation war or the 1971 Indo-Pak war.  

Roots of the conflict   

India was dragged into the war with Pakistan due to a conflict between the traditionally dominant West Pakistanis involved in ruthless acts and discrimination against the majority of East Pakistanis. The conflict was sparked by political tensions between the Bengali diaspora and West Pakistan which had its roots in the birth of Pakistan following the partition of India in 1947.  

As per estimates, the Pakistani military and supporting Islamist militias killed between 300,000 to 3,000,000 civilians in Bangladesh. The conflict further resulted in around eight to ten million people seeking refuge in India. This burdened India’s economy and prompted the Indian government to resolve the conflict.  

Indian Army’s role in the war  

India’s then-Chief of Army Staff General Sam Manekshaw was first asked by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in April 1971 if he was ready got to war against Pakistan. Gen Manekshaw refused in a display of good military leadership and foresightedness which comes with experience, citing the onset of the Monsoon season. He however guaranteed a victory for India if PM Indira allowed him a preparatory period for the conflict on his terms, which was agreed to by the then Prime Minister.  

The Indian Army successfully penetrated the border of East Pakistan on November 23, 1971 and rallied with its Bengali Nationalist allies (Mukti Bahini). In contrast to the slow advance of the Indian forces in the 1965 Indo-Pak war, the Indian Army used the ‘Blitzkrieg’ military technique to swiftly gain dominance on the battlefield.  

Subsequently, the Indian Army encircled Dacca after days of fighting and on December 16, issued an ultimatum to the Pakistani military leadership urging the forces to surrender within 30 minutes, which was followed by a public surrender by Lt Gen AK Niazi. 

Notably, the conflict produced 4 Param Vir Chakras, 67 Maha Vir Chakras, and 12 Vir Chakras.  

Role of the Indian Navy  

The Indian Naval offensive started on December 4 under Operation Trident. The aircraft and ships of India’s Eastern Naval Fleet aboard INS Vikrant struck military targets in East Pakistan. At the Chittagong harbour, Cox's Bazar airfield and six Pakistani ships were destroyed. The Pakistan submarine Ghazi was sunk off the coast of Visakhapatnam. The Indian Navy showed fine military tactics by sealing all the escape routes to Pakistan, notably INS Vikrant was directly responsible for pushing the infamous surrender.  

A Naval Task Force attacked Karachi harbour on December 4-5 and destroyed 3 ships. Another attack on the Karachi harbour was carried out on December 8 and then as a diversionary tactic, a Pakistani merchant ship was captured off the Makran Coast. These daunting acts enabled the Indian Navy to bottle up the Pakistani warships docked at harbours. However Indian Navy’s anti-submarine frigate Khukri was lost in the Arabian sea during the war.  

IAF’s operations during the conflict

The Indian Air force conducted 4,000 sorties in the west and 1,978 sorties in the east for the duration of the war. Furthermore, a major contribution of the Indian Air Force came in the form of providing crucial support for the ground forces on both fronts. It further carried out disruptive operations against Pakistani communication systems and destroyed their fuel and ammunition reserves. Notably, the Indian Air Force struck down three Pakistani Sabres on November 22, in which Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon distinguished himself in an air battle against Pak Sabres on December 14.   

At the culmination of the Indo-Pak war of 1971, about 600 Indian officers who served during the 14-day war were decorated with gallantry awards. Meanwhile, a new nation gained existence and Pakistan was left red-faced in front of India’s military resolve and valour.