Vijay Diwas 2024 marks the 53 years of India’s victory over Pakistan and the liberation of East Pakistan, which came to be known as Bangladesh. The war formally started between India and Pakistan after Pakiistani Air Force targeted 11 Air Force fields across India. With a crucial interplay of global diplomacy and furious exchanges of attacks between India and Pakistan, finally on December 16, 1971, Pakistan Army surrendered.
As they say, Rome was not built in a day, India’s victory was also not an overnight incident. During the 14 days of war between December 3 and December 16, several key moments happened that shaped India’s victory. Here are some of the most importent and decisive moments:
- India fought Pakistan Army in the Battle of Longewala on December 4 and stoped its invasion in Jaisalmer. The war holds importance as India’s small 120 soldiers’ force significantly daunted Pakistan Army’s morale which was 2,000 to 3,000 in numbers with 30-40 tanks.
- India flew about 4,000 and 2,000 sorties at western and eastern front against PAF’s 2,800 and 30 sorties repsctively and dominated the air space during the war.
- Battle of Ghazipur: It was the first battle directly fought jointly by Indian Army and Mukti Bahini to capture and free Ghazipur on December 4-5.
- On the night of Decmeber 4-5, Indian Navy conducte operation Trident and made a surprise attack on the port of Karachi
- On December 6, Jashore became the first district to be liberated from the clutches of Pakistan.
- On December 11, the IAF executed first-ever large-scale air in the subcontinent paradropping a 800-strong battalion at Tangail with 12 jeeps. This force was among the first Indian troops to enter Dhaka.
- Russians dispatched nuclear armed flotilla which had destroyers, submarines and frigates from Vladivostok on December 13, 1971. The move deterred United States and UK and defied the emerging axis of US-Pakistan-China.
- As war reached in decisive phase, Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw warned Pakistan on December 13, “You surrender or We wipe you out.”
- On December 14, IAF got intelligence input regarding a critical meeting at the Governor’s house in Dhaka. At 12:55 am, four MiG-21s struck with precision on the building, followed by two more MiGs and two Hunters. As per IAF, “the psychological impact was profound—so demoralizing that the head of the East Pakistan government and his cabinet resigned soon thereafter.”
- On December 16, Lt Gen AAK Niazi unconditionally surrendered with his 93,000 troops, a victory that established India’s domination in the subcontinent.
- The IAF executed 2,400 intense offensive mission in the Western sector. As per IAF, the domination of sky was so impactful that, when questioned about his surrender despite having a largely intact army, Gen Niazi pointed to the IAF insignia on an officer’s uniform and remarked, “Because of this—you, the Indian Air Force.”
