War and Liberation of East Pakistan

Pakistan chose to attack India on the western border on December 3, 1971. As their bombers targeted airfields along the western borders, their artillery regiments attacked Kashmir. India under the generalship of Sam Manekshaw took swift action in Kashmir and Punjab on the ground and with massive air strikes. The Indian navy got into action for the first time and moved towards Karachi. The Western Naval Command under Vice Admiral S.N. Kohli, successfully launched a surprise attack on Karachi port under the codename Trident. India now had every reason to push across into Eastern Pakistan with its troops and tanks and to turn the secret skirmishes into open confrontation.

It must be pointed out here that India had modernised its armed forces, besides starting indigenous weapons manufacture. The Pakistani military was no match for the Indian forces. There was a further handicap that the Pakistanis were working under – the low morale of its forces due to the civil unrest and defection of Bengali personnel and the stress of having to fight people of their own country. It has been pointed out that Yahya Khan’s strategy was difficult to understand. If Chinese help was anticipated, it did not come;

perhaps the snow in the Himalayas in December did not allow any Chinese action. The Indian forces, on the other hand, had no problem with weather on the eastern front and furthermore were helped by the locals and the Mukti Bahini. Moving towards Dacca (now Dhaka) from four directions, the Indian forces captured strategic installations. The Indian Eastern Naval Command, under Vice Admiral Nilakanta Krishnan, created a naval blockade in the Bay of Bengal and isolated East Pakistan. From December 4 onwards, the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant was deployed to carry out attacks on the major ports of East Pakistan.

India’s intention for East Pakistan became clear on December 6, 1971 when the Indian government formally recognised the Provisional Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.

The US sent Task Force 74 led by the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise i into the Bay of Bengal, but it was just a show of power and an indication of the US stand. It did not affect the course of what happened to East Pakistan. It was now clear that Dacca was going to fall to the Indian forces, and what is more, once the East Pakistan issue was settled, India might turn its full attention to West Pakistan and also cause its disintegration.

On December 13, the Yahya Khan sent a message to

Lieutenant-General A.A.K. Niazi, the Commander of the Pakistan Eastern Command, to give up arms. But it was December 16, 1971 before the Instrument of Surrender of Pakistan Eastern Command stationed in East Pakistan, was signed between the Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora, the GOC-in-C of Indian Eastern Command and Lieutenant- General A.A.K. Niazi, the Commander of the Pakistan Eastern Command, at the Ramna Race Course in Dacca.

East Pakistan had been liberated and a new independent nation Bangladesh had come into being. Mujibur Rahman, released from captivity, assumed the leadership of the new nation.

On December 16, Indira Gandhi announced on radio a unilateral ceasefire on the western front as well. The next day, Pakistan too announced a ceasefire.

Indira Gandhi’s image was greatly enhanced as an effect of the victory. Many in India called her ‘Durga’. There was a new confidence and a sense of power and achievement in the Indians. The country seemed to have established a dominant position in the subcontinent.