Indo-Pak War of 1971

East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan that existed in Bengal region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent from 1955 until... 1971, following the One Unit programme which laid the existence of East Pakistan. In 1905, the region of Bengal under the British Empire was partitioned into East and West Bengal which separated the Muslim majority eastern areas from the Hindu majority western areas. The partition of Bengal saw the mainstream revival of Hindu-Muslim riots which both Bengali Muslims and Hindus further apart, leading to more unrest in Bengal. In 1947, the East Bengal's parliament favored the Partition of India after approving the June 3rd Plan presented by the Viceroy of India Lord Earl Mounbatten, and merged with the new province of East Bengal of the Dominion of Pakistan. From 1947 until 1954, the East Bengal was an independent administrative unit which was governed by the Pakistan Muslim League led by Nurul Amin.
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West Pakistan , common name Pakistan, in the period between its establishment on November 22, 1955 to disintegration on July 1, 1970. This period,... during which Pakistan was divided, ended when East-Pakistan was disintegrated and succeeded to become which is now what is known as Bangladesh. After 1947, West Pakistan was physically separated from East by the Republic of India, the state was politically dominant which composed of three Governor's provinces , one Chief Commissioner's province , the Baluchistan States Union, several other princely states , the Federal Capital Territory and the tribal areas. The eastern wing formed the single province of East Bengal , which despite having over half of the population, had a disproportionately small number of seats in the Constituent Assembly. This inequality of the two wings and the geographical distance between them was believed to be holding up the adoption of a new constitution.
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Since the partition of British India in 1947 and creation of India and Pakistan, the two South Asian countries have been involved in four wars,... including one undeclared war, as well as many border skirmishes and military stand-offs. Additionally, India has accused Pakistan of engaging in proxy wars by providing military and financial assistance to violent non-state actors. The dispute for Kashmir has been the cause, whether direct or indirect of all major conflicts between the two countries with the exception of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, where conflict originated due to turmoil in erstwhile East Pakistan. The Partition of India came about in the aftermath of World War II, when both Great Britain and British India were dealing with the economic stresses caused by the war and its demobilisation. It was the intention of those who wished for a Muslim state to come from British India to have a clean partition between independent and equal "Pakistan" and "Hindustan" once independence came.
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The Battle of Longewala was one of the first major engagements in the Western Sector during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, fought between... assaulting Pakistani forces and Indian defenders at the Indian border post of Longewala, in the Thar Desert of the Rajasthan state in India. The Indian 30th Infantry commanded by Brig E.N. Ramadoss company was left with the choices of either attempting to hold out until reinforced, or fleeing on foot from a mechanised infantry Pakistani force, choosing the former. The company officer commanding ensured that all his assets were correctly employed, and made the most use of his strong defensive position, and weaknesses created by errors in enemy tactics. He was also fortunate in that an Indian Air Force forward air controller was able to secure and direct aircraft in support of the post's defence until reinforcements arrived six hours later.
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The Tangail Airdrop was an airborne operation mounted on 11 December 1971 by the 2nd Parachute Battalion Group of the Indian Army during the... Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. The main objective of the operation was the capture of Poongli Bridge on the Jamuna which would cut off the 93 Brigade of Pakistani Army which was retreating from the north to defend Dacca and its approaches. The Paratroop unit was also tasked to link up with the advancing Maratha Light Infantry on the ground to advance towards the East Pakistani capital. The Paratroopers, numbering 700 and led by Lt Col Kulwant Singh Pannu was reinforced by an Artillery battery, an Engineering detachment, an ADS, and a surgical team and other administrative troops from 50th Parachute Brigade. Tasked to cut off the retreat of the Pakistani troops from the north towards Dacca, the unit touched ground at 4:30pm and were greeted by a jubilant crowd of local Bengali populace, with some even helping the troops carry their packs and ammunition. The drop was dispersed over a wide area, but the Paras regrouped quickly and commenced their attack. By 7.
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The Battle of Garibpur fought on 20–21 November 1971 was one of the first engagements of between Indian and Pakistani troops during the... Bangladesh Liberation War prior to the initiation of hostilities on 3 December 1971. An intimately entangled part of this battle is the air battle over the Boyra Salient, the actual Battle of Boyra where the Indian Air Force successfully engaged and destroyed strike elements of the Pakistan Air Force. The battle took place prior to the start of hostilities in the western front of India . Indian troops partly aided by Mukti Bahini defeated Pakistan Army in the battle thus capturing key areas and severely denting Pakistani morale. After months of internal tensions in East Pakistan and a clampdown on Bengali nationalists, many independence fighters had organised themselves into a guerilla army. Called the Mukti Bahini, these rebels were aided by India in their struggle. After initial success over Pakistani troops there had been some relative calm in the region and further Indian assistance was sought to turn the tide.
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Operation Chengiz Khan was the code name assigned to the pre-emptive strikes carried out by the Pakistani Air Force on the forward airbases and... radar installations of the Indian Air Force on the evening of 3 December 1971, and marked the formal initiation of hostilities of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. Mounted in three waves between 17:39 and 23:00 hrs, the strikes were targeted against the Indian airbases of Amritsar, Ambala, Agra, Awantipur, Bikaner, Halwara, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Pathankot, Bhuj, Srinagar and Uttarlai as well as against air defence radars at Amritsar and Faridkot. In an address to the nation on radio that same evening, the then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi held the air strikes to be a declaration of war against India, and the Indian Air Force responded with initial air strikes the same night, which were expanded to massive retaliatory air strikes the next morning, as anticipated by the Pakistan Air Force. Statements released by both nations the next day confirmed the "existence of a state of war between the two countries", although neither government had formally issued a declaration of war.
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