Col Brij Mohan Rai Mehta (Retd)
Many world leaders gathered in China to witness the Victory Day Parade at Tiananmen Square recently to commemorate 80 years since the end of World War two. Back home in India, most Indians do not know that it has been 60 years since India foiled Pakistan’s objectives during a war with Pakistan in 1965. The war, which started on September 1st, ended on September 23rd after a ceasefire agreement reached through a UN Security Council resolution.
India was just recovering from the debacle of the 1962 war with China and reeling under food shortages due to poor monsoons, and was importing wheat under the PL 480 food programme from the USA. In the meanwhile, Pakistan had become an ally of the US and had become a member of both SEATO (South East Asia Treaty Organisation) in 1954 and CENTO (Central Treaty Organization) in 1959 and received modern Tanks and aircraft from the US & other European countries. Pakistan wanted to test the capabilities of these weapons and aircraft acquired from the US and other countries. In this over view we are not going into details of Battles /Operations but will go through various events which unfolded and led to the full-scale war of 1965, and are briefly outlined in the succeeding paragraphs below:
Pakistan’s designs of annexing J&K were thwarted by some valiant actions by the Indian Army, first in 1948 after independence. Pakistan, after becoming a member of SEATO & CENTO, perceived India to be a weaker nation, especially after the Sino-Indian War of 1962. Pakistan, on it’s part, it claimed the Rann of Kutch to be a part of its Sind Province and though diplomatic efforts had begun ,the talks failed to give any solution. It claimed large marshy wetland areas of Rann of Kutch & under an Operation in the Rann of Kutch, Pakistan showed aggressive actions in Feb ’65 onwards by making a track in the Rann and by endangering our posts, which were manned by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to check Pakistani incursions. Pakistan wanted to capture large areas in the Rann of Kutch. In April 65, India deployed one of its Infantry Brigades of the region to counter Pakistani designs and clear incursions, whereas Pakistan deployed an Infantry Division supported by an Armoured Regiment. India’s post in the Rann of Kutch Sardar Post manned by CRPF was defended by brave men who stood their grounds and defended and foiled Pakistan’s Designs to overrun this with a Brigade Strength of troops. Since the tensions continued to mount, the United Nations was approached, and the then British Prime Minister Harold Wilson intervened & mediated and talked to both countries, and an agreement on a ceasefire which was effective from July 1965.
After an unsuccessful bid to annex Rann of Kutch, Pakistan had some other plans too. It had acquired a large stock of Tanks and Aircraft from the USA and wanted to disturb peace in the region. Pakistan presumed India to be a weaker nation after the debacle on Sino India border in 1962, and after getting military equipment, thought it to be a very strong Army. Besides the US, it had also developed closer ties with China. Pakistan wanted to incite rebellion in Jammu and Kashmir as it presumed it would have mass local support.
Pakistan launched Operation Gibraltar & infiltrated large numbers of Mujahideens and Razakars who were supported by the Pak Regulars across the Cease Fire Line from Kashmir in the North to Chhamb in the South in early Aug 1965 under this Operation. An estimated 7-10,000 armed infiltrators sneaked into the Cease Fire Line, duly supported with the Pak Army’s full support, including fire cover in the Poonch- Rajouri -Kargil region. These infiltrators were to engage in guerrilla warfare and acts of sabotage. Pakistan had thought they would incite locals and get support from the local population, and they would revolt against the Local government, which did not happen. Supported by heavy firing and shelling, they also attacked some of the Indian posts in Poonch but failed as the Indian posts retaliated and repulsed their plans. Locals, on the other hand, supported the Indian Army in capturing these intruders, and most of these intruders were either killed or captured. Reacting to this, India responded offensively by capturing the strategic Haji Pir Pass and heights across the Tangdhar/Tithwal region. The infiltrations immediately stopped after the capture of Haji Pir Pass after a fierce battle by the Indian Army around by end of August 65.
Pakistan wanted to capture Akhnoor/Chhamb and cut off Jammu and all the important lines of communications with the rest of India. With this aim in mind, they launched Operation Code named Grand Slam, which was launched on the First of September in 1965 with Heavy Artillery shelling & use of Armour. They attacked Chhamb/Jaurian on the ceasefire line to capture Akhnoor. The area was plain so they could make some inroads, but could not induct Heavy Guns and Tanks as a Bridge on the River Chenab was weak.
On the second of September, Pakistan attacked the Chhamb-Jaurian road with the support of Artillery and Armoured Tanks. To check the Pakistan Army’s forward move and to support the Ground forces Indian Air Force was called in by a quick decision by the then Defence Minister. Pakistan Air Force launched a counter-offensive on IAF aircraft with its superior Sabre Jets and F-104 Star Fighters of US origin. Vampires and Mystere Aircraft of the IAF destroyed a significant number of Tanks/Guns, and other mechanised vehicles, inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy and thus checked the advancing enemy columns. Though India had much Smaller Gnats, Mystere, Vampires and Hunters aircraft but the superior skills of Indian Pilots brought down some Pakistani aircraft in the next three days. Pakistan, meanwhile, was also simultaneously building up for a possible offensive in the Sialkot Sector towards Jammu.
Indian troops backed by the IAF not just successfully halted Pak advance in Chhamb/Jaurian but also launched a major offensive across Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir & in Rajasthan Sectors on 6th of Sep 65 to counter Pak objectives but also to ease threats in Chhamb-Jaurian-Akhnoor Sector in J&K.
The fighting that followed included intense tank and infantry battles along with unprecedented aerial actions which enabled India to make substantial territorial gains and inflict significant losses on Pakistani forces. Along with the Army, the IAF played a critical role in defending Indian Interests.
The Indian army was instrumental in capturing strategic forward areas like the Haji Pir Pass in J&K earlier in August and advancing as deep as on the outskirts of Lahore in Punjab & Sialkot Sector after the launch of the offensive on the 5th of September. Pakistan AF had air strikes on Air Bases in the Western Sector but were repelled by the IAF.
The Indian offensive in Sialkot & Punjab saw some fierce tank infantry, and Artillery action to advance and gain maximum territory and the forces reached the outskirts of Lahore and Sialkot. Indian Armoured Tanks repulsed the enemy threat, which had superior American Tanks (Patton ) in some of the largest tank battles since World War two in Khemkaran and Asal Uttar, where CQMH Abdul Hamid of 4 Grenadiers was awarded PVC (Posthumously) for destroying four Pakistani Tanks with his RCL Gun. Meanwhile young IAF Pilots flying Indian made smaller Gnats, Mystere, Vampires and Hunter Aircraft flying at tree-top levels engaged superior Sabre and Starfighter aircraft in the dogfights that ensued and destroyed enemy aircraft, Tanks and Gun positions. They were able to foil any plans which they had, while the IAF also carried out daring raids on Sargodha & other Air bases deep inside their territory. Similarly, an offensive was launched in the Barmer Sector of Rajasthan to gain territory, where the Indians managed reasonable gains of territory. In all IAF carried out over 3000 sorties during the 23 days of the War for the success of its mission. There are numerous acts of unparalleled bravery at Haji Pir, Chhamb Jaurian, Asal Uttar, Icchogil, Burki, Dograi,Sialkot sectors and in Air Battles, where Indian Soldiers defended the motherland and brought glory to the Nation, as also the award of Param Vir Chakras to Lt Col AB Tarapore and CQMH Abdul Hamid, India’s highest gallantry award posthumously besides a number of other gallantry awards & theatre and Battle honours for the Units which participated in the ’65 war Nation still remembers their acts of valor which inspires the future generations.
The Indian Navy did not have any offensive role but defended the maritime boundaries of India from the Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal in the East. The role of the Punjab Police and, CRPF cannot be undermined as the Punjab Police played an active role on the Western Borders in Punjab and the CRPF held on to Sardar Post in the Rann of Kutch. NCC & Civil Defence & Red Cross also played their part in safeguarding assets and assisting in educating citizens in Civil Defence measures, First Aid during wartime.
The war ended with a ceasefire on 23rd September 1965 after a UN Security Council resolution on 4th September ’65 & subsequent resolutions urging both countries to cease hostilities, which was accepted by both countries after a visit by the then UN Secretary General U Thant to both India & Pakistan. The then USSR Prime Minister Alex Kosygin invited both the countries to come to Tashkent for peace talks, and after some delay, both the Indian & Pakistani leaders agreed & met in Tashkent in January 66.A Joint Declaration was signed on 10th Jan 66 under which both countries had to vacate the captured territories. The then Indian Prime Minister, Mr Lal Bahadur Shashtri ji, unfortunately died the very next day in Tashkent after signing the Indo-Pak Agreement.
The Indo-Pak war was a testament to India’s resolve and strategic resolve. Facing a well-equipped & confident adversary, India defended its territory and denied Pakistan its objectives in J&K and Punjab. The bravery of Indian soldiers and Air Warriors & supporting forces continues to inspire generations and remains a cornerstone of military legacy.
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