Indo-Pakistani War of 1971

December 3–16, 1971 · East Pakistan and the India-Pakistan border

Result Indian victory

The war ran from 3 to 16 December 1971, after Pakistan launched preemptive air strikes (Operation Chengiz Khan) on Indian air stations and India entered the Bangladesh Liberation War on the side of Bengali nationalist forces. Indian and Pakistani forces fought on both the eastern and western fronts. Pakistan's Eastern Command surrendered in Dhaka on 16 December 1971, and East Pakistan became the independent nation of Bangladesh; about 93,000 Pakistani personnel were taken prisoner.

On the map Overview Contemporaries

India and Bangladesh

Pakistan

Other

Bangladesh

India

Pakistan

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman belligerent leader

Indira Gandhi Prime Minister of India, Led India into the war

Swaran Singh belligerent leader

Sam Manekshaw belligerent leader

Jagjit Singh Aurora military commander

Sagat Singh military commander

Yahya Khan President of Pakistan, Led Pakistan during the war; resigned after the defeat

Tikka Khan belligerent leader M. A. K. Lodhi belligerent leader Abdul Hamid Khan belligerent leader A. A. K. Niazi military commander

Strength and losses

Killed: 2,500–3,843
Wounded: 9,851–12,000
Aircraft lost: 1
Ships lost: 1

India Killed c. 3,241

Killed: 9,000
Wounded: 25,000
Captured: 93,000

Pakistan Killed c. 7,982

Killed: c. 11,223

Units

Eastern Command (India) II Corps (India) IV Corps (India) Indian Army 15th Infantry Division (India) 18th Cavalry (India) 20 Lancers (India) 21st Horse (Central India Horse) 45th Cavalry (India) 5th Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force) The Grenadiers Mukti Bahini Western Air Command (India) 8th Gorkha Rifles 9th Battalion, Madras Regiment Rajputana Rifles Indian Navy Western Fleet (India) INS Vikrant

Eastern Command (Pakistan) 6th Armoured Division (Pakistan) Pakistani 18th Infantry Division (1971) 12th Cavalry (Frontier Force) Guides Cavalry Northern Light Infantry Regiment Pakistan Navy PNS Ghazi

10th Infantry Division (India) 11th Infantry Division (India) 2nd Infantry Division (India) 39th Mountain Division (India) 4th Infantry Division (India) 7th Infantry Division (Pakistan) Covert Action Division 11th Cavalry (Frontier Force) 13th Lancers 14th Horse (Scinde Horse) 17th Horse (Poona Horse) 3rd Cavalry Regiment (India) Frontier Force Regiment Punjab Regiment (Pakistan) No. 11 Squadron PAF No. 25 Squadron PAF Pakistan Navy Northern Command US Seventh Fleet off Vietnam Madras Engineer Group Special Service Group Special Service Group (Navy)

Battles 7

Battle of Hilli November 22 – December 18, 1971 · Bangladeshi-Indian victory
India–Pakistan naval war of 1971 December 2–16, 1971
Operation Chengiz Khan December 3, 1971 · Pakistani failure
Battle of Longewala December 4–7, 1971 · Indian victory
Battle of Basantar December 4–16, 1971 · Indian victory
Operation Trident (1971) December 4–5, 1971 · Strategic Indian naval victory and partial naval blockade on Pakistan
Operation Python December 8–9, 1971 · Indian victory, partial de facto naval blockade of Pakistan.