India-Pakistan Wars - Case Study Example

India-Pakistan Wars Abstract Three major wars erupted between India and Pakistan for the period 1947, 1965 and 1971. Either the invasion or protection of Kashmir was the main reason for these wars. The war in 1947 was the first war between the two countries immediately after its independence from Great Britain and after its partition as newly independent countries. The war in 1965 initially put Pakistan at an advantage with the support of the United States of America and United Kingdom with an international sanction. Pakistan grew overconfident and tried to coerce into Kashmir once again expecting non retaliation from India which was a miscalculated move when India retaliated with all its armed forces. The war in 1971 put India and Pakistan in direct combat in Pakistan soil when both countries exchanged attacks through its air force and ground forces in Pakistan and Kashmir. Introduction India and Pakistan have a deep history. These two countries originally came from the same country under British rule. However, the clamour for a separate State1 for Muslims by the Muslim League in India led to its partition after its independence from Great Britain. Thus, The Republic of India for the Hindus and the Islamic State of Pakistan for the Muslims were created. Pakistan, however, was divided further into West and East Pakistan mainly occupied by Muslims and Bengalis respectively. The latter was predominantly Hindus and supportive of the Indian government. Kashmir, another State within India under Indian Independence Act was later on divided its territories between Pakistan and India with the latter controlling majority of it. Kashmir’s leadership would have preferred it to remain independent 2 but threats of invasion from other neighbouring countries particularly Pakistan forced it to merge with India later on. Pakistan prefer to put Kashmir under its territories since majority of its population are Muslims who were debated to be bound to India against their will3. India and Pakistan were continuously in conflict engaging in many “proxy or low intensity wars”4. However, the most intensive and far fetching wars between the countries was the three wars in 1947, 1965 and 1971 mainly to gain control or protect Kashmir from each others authority. Kashmir then becomes the significant reason why these two countries continued to be at war ever since India’s partitions in 1947 from British rule. First War: 1947 The conflict between India and Pakistan in 1947 was also known as the “First Kashmir War”5 which lasted from years 1947 to 1949. However, it formally ended in December 1948 as reported by Global Security6.It was the time after the partition of India after its independence from Great Britain. Thus, this is the first war of the “newly independent nations”7 wherein Pakistan following “little definite strategy”8 on the part of Pakistan and a “definite operational strategy”9 on the part of India. The following are the specific reasons that prompted this first war. Reason #1: Pakistan initiated insurgencies at Jammu Pakistan initiated the war in October of 1947 when it wanted to seize the State of Jammu and Kashmir. The initial plan of Pakistan was to capture the State of Kashmir by seizing the city of Jammu which is near its borders. The village of Dogra in Jammu is a critical area connecting it to valley of Kashmir and to India. Thus, it is a strategic plan to seize it in order to prevent any eventual military aid from India towards Kashmir. This area is populated by Muslims who was seen to be in allegiance with the ideologies of Pakistan particularly against the government of India. Thus, arms and ammunitions were smuggled into the area for local Muslims revolt to aid Pakistan in its plan against Kashmir. The plan was to start an insurgency from within Jammu led by local Muslims. Pakistan army will signal the start of the insurgency by raiding the villages at the border of Pakistan and the States of Jammu and Kashmir. However, Hindu residents of Jammu became alerted of these raids and prepared for the defence of the city. Kashmir’s Hindu ruler sought the help of India to help defend its territory with the promise of ceding its State to India10. Thus, Kashmir was in accession to the Government of India at that time. In essence, India became responsible for the whole of Kashmir particularly its military defence 11 against any attempt to invade it. The accession of Kashmir to India and pre-emptive defence of Jammu thwarted the plans of Pakistan to capture Jammu. Local Muslims retreated to Pakistan. Investigations into the houses of these local Muslims revealed large number of firearms and other ammunitions as well as communication paraphernalia used for the planned insurgency. Given that Jammu is a strategic area for the defence of Kashmir, thwarting its invasion by Pakistan actually strengthened the defence for Kashmir. Reason #2: Instigating rebellion in the districts of Mirpur and Poonch Muslims comprise 90% of the population of the districts of Mirpur and Poonch12 but they are largely dependent on the Hindu population who controls the districts’ business industry; hence both have good relations with each other. Pakistan tried instigating rebellion among Muslims within these districts by sending a large number of nationals from Pakistan as well as soldiers and tribal residents to instigate rebellion in the name of Islam. These actions violated State territories of these districts that merited protests from its governments towards the government of Pakistan. However, the latter did not heed such protests. Thus, troubles in these areas increased as Pakistan forged towards its plan of invading the valley of Kashmir. Reason #3: Genocide of the Hindu population in Kashmir Pakistan continued its invasion of Kashmir leaving its military defenceless against the huge number of local rebels and Pakistani troops13. It left them to concentrate defending few towns namely Bhimber, Rajauri, Kotli, Mirpur, Deva Vatala, Poonch and Gilgit where the Hindu population evacuated for safety. Hand in hand the military of Kashmir and civil populace defended these towns against the invading troops of Pakistan and local Muslim rebels. However, these towns fell one by one under the enemy. Indian troops were not able to arrive in time to defend the Hindu civilians of these towns. It was preoccupied in defending the valley of Kashmir from Pakistani takeover. Second War: 1965 The second war between India and Pakistan started in August 5, 1965 and ended in September 22, 196514. They fought over Kashmir with India protecting Kashmir from Pakistan’s attempts to invade it. The latter believed that they can defeat India after its earlier defeat from China in 1962. Also, Pakistan was alarmed on the growing efforts of India to assimilate Kashmir into its territories. Further, it had information that there was growing favour towards Pakistani rule since the people of Kashmir were becoming dissatisfied with the leadership of India. The following are the specific reasons that drove to the second war between India and Pakistan in 1965. Reason #1: Pakistan’s attack in the Region of Kutch in Gujarat Pakistan attacked the Region of Kutch in Gujarat in the early part of 196515. It is a region that acceded to India in 1947 along with the State of Kashmir. It was not a highly populated area mostly covered in marsh. However, there were reports that the region is abundant in reserves of oil and gas but no exploration has been done yet to confirm this. India did not expect any interest from Pakistan for this area; hence it had not put up defence for this region. Apparently, Pakistan saw this as an opportunity to once again test the mettle of India’s military. The motivation behind the attack was to test whether the United States of America (USA) will react severely if Pakistan used the armaments it supplied against India16. The former assured India beforehand that it the arms it supplied Pakistan will not be used against India. Also, Pakistan wanted to test the new leadership of India at that time and how it will react to the invasion of Kutch. Thus, Pakistan’s armed forces surprised the region by its attacks and capture of the military bases of India and claim possession of the region. India was not able to implement its counter attack in defence of Kutch since the United Kingdom and the USA pressured it to accept a ceasefire with Pakistan17 over the invasion of Kutch. Pakistan rejoiced in this victory of creating conflict with India without any aggression at all at the same time achieving its goal of testing its new armaments from the USA and of knowing what the USA’s reaction over it. At the same time, it got a good bargain out of such aggression by making it an international issue.18 Reason #2: Pakistan’s attempt to capture Kashmir Pakistan grew confident over its success in its aggression towards Kutch. It once again planned to capture Kashmir. It infiltrated the ceasefire line in the valley of Kashmir in May 1965 that will proceed to take over the City of Srinagar on August 9, 1965 during the celebration of the Martyrs Day. It succeeded in attacking the supply bases of the State from Jammu by controlling the bridge of Chenab19. Its soldiers averaging about 29,000 crossed the ceasefire line dressed as the locals of Kashmir on August 5, 196520. However, the full infiltration operation to capture the valley of Kashmir did not pushed through due to an efficient communication of the infiltration attempt to the authorities of Kashmir and India by the locals of Kashmir. Also, Pakistan operated the infiltration on the wrong premise that India would not cross the ceasefire line and retaliates for fear of international backlash as it did in the conflict in Kutch21. India crossed the ceasefire line on August 1522 to retaliate against Pakistan’s attempt on invasion at the same time using the Indian Air Force23 to facilitate an effective aerial attack against Pakistan’s attempts at invasion. Armed forces of India made a counter attack assaulting and occupying the Pakistan controlled Haji Peer Pass that led into the valley of Kashmir. It recaptured the Kargil Heights from Pakistan troops. This was earlier captured by India during the war in Kutch but was returned to Pakistan. These successful counter assaults of Indian Armed Forces sealed the protection of the valley of Kashmir. Reason #3: Pakistan’s invasion of Chamb, Jammu Pakistan in retaliation from its foiled infiltration attack of Kashmir, launched a full scale attack directly against India through an attack of Chamb, Jammu in September 1, 196524 to seize the bridge of Akhnoor. The result of this invasion would have cut off the towns of Rajouri and Poonch from the entire State of Kashmir so that Pakistan’s troops would be able to capture Ram Ban bride in Chenab. Success in this plan would isolate the troops of Kashmir from India. The air force of India aided its troops stationed in Chenab by firing at Pakistani troops who were still ten miles from the Akhnoor Bridge. It slowed down its troops but did not deter Pakistan to still go on with its plan of capturing Kashmir. The motivation behind this strategy was the confidence of Pakistan authorities that like the 1947 war, India will not launch an all out war with Pakistan by making a counter attack on Lahore and Sialkot. Pakistan was also confident that its Patton tanks will be able to launch right through Delhi if worst comes to worst. However, these assumptions of Pakistan did not materialise as Indian forces attacked Lahore and Sialkot resulting to Pakistani forces attacking Akhnoor Bridge towards Kashmir Valley to retreat and helped in the defence of the two Pakistani cities. Third War: 1971 The deterioration of the relations between India and Pakistan intensified during the civil war in Pakistan wherein the Bengalis of East Pakistan rose in revolt against West Pakistan in an attempt to gain its independence25 from the Islamic State. India helped East Pakistan to gain its independence by sending military aid which further fuelled the “dispute between the two nations”26. It eventually was recognised by Pakistan as an independent State known as Bangladesh in 197427. The details of this fight as well as the other reasons for the occurrence of the third war between India and Pakistan in 1971 are discussed below. Reason #1: Lack of clear policy of India about Kashmir The lack of clear stand or policy of India about Kashmir created a discontent among a large number of Muslim residents of Kashmir who have became more agreeable towards the propagandas of Pakistan against India and towards the independence of Kashmir from India’s control. It made them hostile towards India and its troops in Kashmir. Thus, tension between Muslim locals and Indian troops were felt in Kashmir. Reason #2: East Pakistan which clamour for Independence from the Pakistan government East Pakistan clamoured for independence from Pakistan as whole resulted to aggressive rule of the government of Pakistan towards this region. The resulting civil war pitted the army of West Pakistan against the army of West Pakistan28 with the latter occupying the former. It terrorised East Pakistan which forced 10 millions of Hindu residents mostly Bengalis to seek refuge in India. Such refugees created a severe economic burden to India escalating the tension between Pakistan and India. Also, public sentiment in India was supportive of the movement for liberation of East Pakistan forcing its government to come to its military aid. However, Pakistani military authorities realised that they cannot hold for long their force intrusion into East Pakistan. Indian air force was able to defeat Pakistani air force stationed in East Pakistan in two days29 after Pakistan attacked eight of its air bases. Its navy also had the upper hand in terms of its blockade of the harbours of Chittagong and Chalna30 cutting Pakistan’s “reinforcements, supplies and chances of evacuation for the Pakistani forces”31 . Thus, Pakistan military authorities started accepting its eventual fall out from Pakistan and compensate its loss by claiming Kashmir again. Thus, Pakistan air force was withdrawn from East Pakistan. East Pakistan would later become another country known as Bangladesh32. Reason #3: Pakistan’s invasion of Kashmir and other territories in the West Pakistan initiated pre-emptive attack on the air bases of India stationed in Kashmir on December 3, 1971. It wanted to seize Kashmir and few territories in the West to compensate for the loss of East Pakistan. Thus, it attacked airfields of India based in Kashmir. However, the Indian armed force was able to thwart the attempts of Pakistani armies’ entry into Jammu and Kashmir. At the same time it launched attacks in the cities of Lahore and Sialkot while trying to liberate East Pakistan. Conclusion Kashmir is the most significant reason or motivation for the three major wars between India and Pakistan. It is obvious that the two countries would never relinquish its claim on it making it the symbol of the conflict between them as evidenced by the intensity of the wars over Kashmir. The presence of both Hindus and Muslims in this region as well as its strategic location for the security of both countries are not easy to give up allowing each country to claim sole authority over it. So much had happened that it is crucial that it is perceived that both countries must reach out to protect its brothers and sisters in their respective faiths as well as protect its strategic position in terms of security by securing their presence in Kashmir. International humanitarian organisations as well as world leaders must be able to support the peaceful interaction of these two countries to arrive at an agreeable settlement on how to deal with Kashmir. If independence of Kashmir will be the result of this intervention, both India and Pakistan must strive to respect this decision for the sake of the peace in Kashmir. References Hamin, A. (2001). The Anatomy of Indo-Pak Wars: A Strategic and Operational Analysis. Defence Journal, August. Retrieved from http://www.defencejournal.com/2001/august/anatomy.htm Kashmir-India vs. Pakistan. Flashpoints. Retrieved from Flashpoints: http://www.flashpoints.info/countries-conflicts/Kashmir-India_vs_Pakistan-web/Kashmir-India_vs_briefing.html on 16 November 2009 India-Pakistan Wars . The Columbian Electronic Encyclopedia (2007) Retrieved from Infoplease.com: http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/history/A0825128.html on 17 November 2009 India-Pakistan Wars. The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Retrieved November 14, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-IndiaPak.html Madhok, B.R. (n.d.). Kashmir: The Storm Center of the World. Texas: A. Gosh Bangladesh: Out of War, a Nation is Born. The Time (1971) Retrieved from http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,878969,00.html on 16 November 2009 India-Pakistan Wars. Questia Library (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.questia.com/library/encyclopedia/india-pakistan-wars.jsp on 17 November 2009 Military: Indo-Pakistan War of 1965. Global Security (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/indo-pak_1965.htm on 18 November 2009 Military: Indo-Pakistan Conflict of 1947-1948. Global Security (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/indo-pak_1947.htm on 18 November 2009 Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. Encyclopedia (2009). Retrieved from http://en.allexperts.com/e/i/in/indo-pakistani_war_of_1947.htm on 18 November 2009 The Tribune (2007). The 1965 India-Pakistan War: IAF’s Ground Reality. Retrieved from http://www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20070506/spectrum/main1.htm on 18 November 2009 India and Pakistan: Poised for War. Time (1971). Retrieved from http://www.vidyasoft.com/interest/war/wardec06b_4.html on 18 November 2009 Read More