India should not forget its history

Issue: Book Excerpt: Indias Wars Since Independence | Date: 18 March 2012

“India should not forget its history,” Bhutto observed on the eve of the India-Pakistan conflict in 1950. Indeed, India has a sad history of centuries of subjugation imposed by the power of the...

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The March to Dacca III

Issue: Book Excerpt: Indias Wars Since Independence | Date: 01 December 2011

Exploiting Niazi’s pessimistic conclusions about the outcome of the war, the Indians stepped up their psychological warfare. A personal message from Manekshaw was repeatedly beamed by All India Radio to the beleaguered Pakistanis....

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The March to Dacca II

Issue: Book Excerpt: Indias Wars Since Independence | Date: 01 December 2011

The unexpected speed of the operations towards Dacca in this sector emboldened the Army Commander to allot 340 Mountain Brigade Group, then engaged at Bogra under Thapan, to harden the punch towards Dacca, little knowing that the allotted...

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The March to Dacca I

Issue: Book Excerpt: Indias Wars Since Independence | Date: 09 November 2011

On 9 December, Sagat Singh had secured the waterline of the Meghna in the general area of Ashuganj and was poised for an advance to Dacca. All the approaches to Dacca lay across the Meghna, which was about 4,000 yards wide in this area. A 2,950...

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Liberation of Bangladesh: War in Northern Sector II

Issue: Book Excerpt: Indias Wars Since Independence | Date: 12 December 2011

Lt Col Sultan Mahmood, Commanding Officer 31 Baluch Battalion, who was responsible for the area, explained when questioned after surrender that he withdrew his troops from Bakhshiganj to build up sufficient strength to give battle mainly on the...

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Liberation of Bangladesh: War in Northern Sector I

Issue: Book Excerpt: Indias Wars Since Independence | Date: 15 December 2011

The northern sector comprised the U-shaped territory between the mighty Jamuna in the west and Meghna in the east, with the Ganga forming the base. The Brahmaputra ran diagonally from northwest to southeast dividing the sector in two, with...

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Liberation of Bangladesh: War in Northwestern Sector

Issue: Book Excerpt: Indias Wars Since Independence | Date: 14 December 2011

Lt Gen Thapan, General Officer Commanding XXXIII Corps, was operationally responsible for the sector in addition to his commitments against the Chinese in Sikkim and Bhutan. His headquarters were at Siliguri, from where communicationwise he...

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Defence of the Western Border III

Issue: Book Excerpt: Indias Wars Since Independence | Date: 05 August 2011

Ladakh and Kargil Operations

Maj Gen SP Malhotra, General Officer Commanding 3 Infantry Division, was operationally responsible for the defence of Ladakh and Kargil tehsil of Leh district. He faced two hostile neighbours, China and Pakistan....

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Defence of the Western Border II

Issue: Book Excerpt: Indias Wars Since Independence | Date: 02 August 2011

Jammu and Kashmir

Lieut Gen Sartaj Singh, GM, General Officer Commanding XV Corps, was operationally responsible for Jammu and Kashmir. His area of responsibility was vast, and he faced two potential enemies, Pakistan and China....

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Defence of the Western Border I

Issue: Book Excerpt: Indias Wars Since Independence | Date: 01 August 2011

The Western Command

The territorial jurisdiction of Western Military Command embraced the states of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana, the Union territories of Chandigarh and Delhi, and a few districts of Rajasthan. It...

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