A Tribute to Indiraji The Bangladesh Liberation War, 1971

• Capt. Praveen Davar December 16 this year will mark the 50th Anniversary of Vijay Divas, when India won its greatest ever military victory, following which an independent and sovereign state of Bangladesh came into existence. Generations to come are unlikely to forget that India’s “finest hour” was reached under the outstanding leadership of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, whose courage, grit and determination not only altered the course of history, but also changed for all times the geography and politics of the subcontinent, indeed of Asia, in India’s favour.

Elections were held in Pakistan on December 1970 and the Awami League, under the leadership of Sheikh Mujibur Rehman, won a massive majority in the provincial legislature and in all but two of East Pakistan’s quota of seats in the new National Assembly, thus gaining a clear majority. The largest party in West Pakistan was the Pakistan Peoples’ Party headed by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who threatened to boycott the Assembly and oppose the government if Mujib was invited by Gen. Yahya Khan, then President of Pakistan, to become Pakistan’s Prime Minister, despite the fact that the Awami League had won aclear majority.

Soon dark clouds started gathering over India’s eastern border. On March 25, 1971, the Pakistani military junta began a crackdown on the peoples of East Pakistan. In no time, it turned into a large-scale genocide. People in lakhs started fleeing from East Bengal and pouring into India from four directions- West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya & Tripura. In a matter of few months millions of displaced persons reached the border states of India. By November 1971, the number of refugees from East Bengal in India reached 10 million. The atrocities committed by the Pakistan Army gave rise to the birth of Mukti Bahini, a potent guerrilla force and the face of Bengali resistance.

Prime Minister Indira Gandhi rose to the challenge with determination and a renewed confidence acquired after having won a massive mandate in the Lok Sabha elections in March 1971. Throughout the crisis, she acted not only with immense courage, but also abundant caution. She did not want to strengthen the Pakistani propaganda that the movement for autonomy in East Pakistan was nothing but an Indian conspiracy; neither did she want to do anything which would lead to India being accused of violating international law and norms.

In following a policy of restraint, Mrs. Gandhi had two other major considerations. First, if it was to be war, it should come at a time of India’s choosing. She agreed with Army chief Sam Manekshaw that military operations in East Pakistan could not be undertaken during the monsoon. The Himalayan passes too would get snowbound only in winter making it impossible for China to send troops to aid Pakistan. Complementing the Army chief’s view was Foreign Minister Swaran Singh, who advised restraint till all diplomatic options were exhausted.

The Prime Minister followed a multi-pronged strategy. She realized that international opinion had to be won over to the cause of Bangladesh and made aware of India’s unbearable burden of refugees. To secure itself against a possible U.S.-China intervention in case events led to war India signed, on August 9, a 20-year Indo-Soviet Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation. The treaty provided for immediate mutual consultations and appropriate effective measures in case of either country being subjected to a military threat. From September to November 1971, Mrs. Gandhi and Swaran Singh globe trotted across the Western world, attempting to build a consensus to force a UN resolution condemning the Pakistani atrocities in Bangladesh. India not only gave sanctuary to the Bangladeshi government-in-exile but also trained and equipped the Mukti Bahini.

Mrs. Gandhi, prepared for the war by November-end, was reluctant to take action first, even though December 4, 1971, had been designated as the day the Indian armed forces would directly undertake the liberation of Bangladesh. At this stage, however, Yahya Khan obliged: Pakistan’s Air Force launched a surprise attack on December 3 on eight military airfields in western India, hoping to inflict serious damage on the Indian Air Force and also internationalize the Bangladesh issue. The bid failed in both its objectives - not one Indian aircraft was lost on the ground.

Anticipating this pre-emptive strike, the Chief of Air Staff had taken the precaution to disperse his squadrons and at the same time activated his forward airbases in readiness for a counterstrike. The counter-strike by the IAF was launched at 11 PM on the night of December 3. It attacked six airfields and two radar stations. So effective was this counter-attack that the back of the PAF was broken within the first 24 hours of the war, from which it never recovered. The IAF established air superiority by the second day of the war. Nearly 30 enemy aircraft were destroyed or damaged on the first day itself. Pakistan had 18 Sabre jets in what was then East Pakistan. All these were destroyed by the second day of the war, and the PAF was never again in evidence over the scene of battles in the eastern sector. This was one of the biggest factors enabling the Indian Army columns to race ahead without the danger of air strafing.

Since the bulk of the surface ships of the Pakistan Navy were based in Karachi, the first task- destruction of the Pakistani naval forces -- was given to the Western Naval Command. On the midnight of December 4-5, the Indian Navy’s task forces destroyed seven ships of the Pakistan Navy, including two destroyers and two minesweepers. Three more ships were destroyed by a second task force which also ser fire to the fuel fields, totally crippling the Pakistan Navy in the west. In the Bay of Bengal, the INS Vikrant, the Navy’s only aircraft-carrier, supported by destroyers, frigates, and submarines, sent out a flight of Sea Hawks to bomb Cox’s Bazar, putting the harbor and airfield out of action. US President Richard Nixon’s attempts to escalate the war by sending a task force of America’s Seventh Fleet failed to deter a courageous Prime Minister, who ordered the armed forces to accomplish their task swiftly. Before the nuclear-powered US carrier USS Enterprise could enter the Bay of Bengal, the lightning campaign was over, and it quietly edged away taking a U-turn in the blue waters.

What was remarkable was the incredible speed with which the Army moved across East Pakistan, a vast alluvial delta crisscrossed by a thousand rivers, rivulets, canals and creeks. The Eastern Command was able to bear the deadline because of the bold and imaginative steps taken by its GOC-in-C and the courage and determination of the corps and divisional commanders, as well as the commanders of lower formations and units. But the task became much easier due to the close support provided by the Navy and the Air Force.

The role played by the BSF and the Mukti Bahini deserves a special mention as they were involved in the operations much before the regular forces took over and continued to be of great assistance and guidance to the troops as they sped towards Dhaka (then Dacca).

After Pakistan Army surrendered in Dacca on December 16, Yahya Khan made a broadcast to his people that war would go on. But Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had no intention of doing so. The mission of liberating Bangladesh had been accomplished and continuing the war in the West would have meant more casualties, destruction and suffering. Accordingly, she announced in Parliament on Dec 17 that the Indian Defence Forces had been given instructions to ceasefire with effect from 8 pm that day. This was an act of highest statesmanship, foresight and magnanimity on the part of India’s Prime Minister. To those people who suspected that India had taken the decision to unilaterally declare a ceasefire under foreign pressure Field Marshal (then General), Sam Manekshaw replied, “I can’t believe that any country can put pressure on Indira Gandhi.”

In recognition of his exemplary military leadership in the war, Gen. Manekshaw was promoted to the rank of India’s first Field Marshal and also bestowed with a Padma Vibushan on Republic Day 1972. Earlier, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was honoured with a Bharat Ratna, the nation’s highest civilian honour. The highest Bangladesh Award, the Bangladesh SwadhinataSammaona (Bangladesh Freedom Honour), was conferred on the late Prime Minister for her outstanding contributions to the Bangladesh Liberation war in 2011, 40 years after the historic event. It was received by Congress President Smt. Sonia Gandhi from Bangladesh President Zillur Rahman in Dhaka on July 25, 2011.

(The writer is a former Secretary, AICC)