THE STORY OF INDIAN WARFARE | Bloody September: Indo-Pak War of 1965

It was the year 1965. The Indian Army was recouping after a brutal defeat in the 1962 Indo-China War and was in the process of reorganisation. Jawaharlal Nehru had died in 1964, and the nation was going through political turbulence. On the other hand, Pakistan was on an upswing. The army under General Ayub Khan had taken over in a military coup and was in full control of the nation. It had received brand-new Patton tanks, artillery guns and Sabre jets from America and was assured of Chinese support. The time seemed right for it to take on a weakened India and seize Kashmir – which it had claimed since Partition – by force.

The 1965 Indo-Pak War is officially said to have lasted for 21 days – from September 1 to 22, 1965. In actuality, it began in April 1965, when the Pakistani Army began a series of raids in the arid Rann of Kutch, claiming the border areas. In a series of bitter skirmishes, it got the better of its Indian counterparts and seized many border posts, including the fort of Kunjarkot. These skirmishes ended only at the end of July, when the United Nations brokered a ceasefire and called for the two sides to return to their original positions.

Emboldened by what it perceived as a victory, Pakistan now launched the second phase of its plan – called OP GIBRALTAR. From July to August, it sent over 20,000 tribals and soldiers in civilian clothing into Kashmir, hoping to incite the population to revolt. The infiltrators caused considerable damage, ambushing convoys and blowing up bridges and installations, but the Kashmiri population did not support them, and most of the infiltrators were captured or killed. Then, in an unexpected move, the Indian Army attacked across the Line of Control to capture the areas through which the infiltrators had been pushed in, including the vital passes of Haji Pir and Kishenganga. The capture of Haji Pir was a feat of great courage and endurance and dealt a severe blow to the Pakistanis.

Seeing their plans go awry, the Pakistanis now embarked on a full-fledged military offensive directed towards Akhnur in the Jammu sector. This offensive was intended to cut off Kashmir from the rest of the nation and enable Pakistan to take it by military force. Launched on September 1, 1965, the offensive made major inroads and was within an inch of victory when India launched its own offensive in Punjab, forcing the Pakistanis to recoil and counter this new, unexpected threat.

On September 6, India launched two major offensives in Punjab – with 11 Corps in the south towards Lahore and with the newly raised 1 Corps in the direction of Sialkot further north. This unexpected offensive took the Pakistanis by surprise, more so since they did not expect the Indian ‘banias’ to act so boldly and violently. Both offensives made good progress initially. The Indian thrust towards Lahore moved in three prongs and succeeded in crossing the Icchogil Canal, the British-era canal which was the last obstacle on the way to Lahore. Indian troops even reached as far as Bata Nagar, a suburb of Lahore, and the US consulate ordered its staff to evacuate from the city. Yet, what could have been a major success was not exploited, as the Indian troops did not follow up and instead pulled back across the canal. Then the Pakistanis launched their own offensive.

Pakistan’s 1 Armoured Division, with its brand-new Patton and Chaffee tanks, had been in the area of Lahore when the Indian attack came and now launched its own offensive towards Indian Punjab. It brushed aside the Indian defences, captured the township of Khem Karan and began moving inwards, hoping to reach the line of the Beas River. A resolute Indian defence delayed the advance, and the Pakistanis were halted in an area appropriately named Asal Uttar, meaning ‘right response’. Here, the Indians had breached the canals and distributaries. The waters seeping out turned the area into a boggy marsh, and the Pakistani tanks were bogged down in the flooded fields. Indian tanks and anti-tank jeeps took a huge toll on the enemy, and 97 tanks – most of them in mint condition – were captured or destroyed. Many of them adorn war memorials even today. The Pakistani offensive came to a halt, and even the GOC of the division was killed along with most of his staff.

The Indian offensive towards Sialkot saw the greatest tank battle in the subcontinent, with 100 Indian and 120 Pakistani tanks clashing in the battles of Phillaura and Chawinda. In spite of this titanic clash of arms, neither side could attain its objectives, and the outcome was at best a stalemate. Finally, on 22 September 1965, after 21 days of intense fighting, a United Nations-sponsored ceasefire came into effect and the guns fell silent, though sporadic firing continued for weeks after the ceasefire.

Both India and Pakistan claim victory in the war. Pakistan celebrates 01 September as ‘Defence of Pakistan Day’, and India commemorates its victory in the war. Yet, neither side really attained its military objectives. India lost 2,902 soldiers in the war and Pakistan 3,800. Over 150 Indian tanks were damaged or destroyed, compared with 220 Pakistani tanks. In the air war, the Pakistanis did hold an edge, especially in the early days of the war. Yet, at the end, India held 1,528 square kilometres of prime territory, while Pakistan held 544 square kilometres, the notable successes being Haji Pir Pass for India and Khem Karan for Pakistan. Both would be returned after the Tashkent Agreement, and the two sides would go back to their original positions.

So who really won? I would say the only true victor was the Indian soldier.

Please click here to buy the book 'India's Battlefields: From Kurukshetra to Balakot'