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India–Pakistan war of 1965

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India–Pakistan war of 1965

The India–Pakistan war of 1965, also known as the second India–Pakistan war, was an armed conflict between Pakistan and India that took place from August 1965 to September 1965. The conflict began following Pakistan's unsuccessful Operation Gibraltar, which was designed to infiltrate forces into Jammu and Kashmir to precipitate an insurgency against Indian rule. The seventeen day war caused thousands of casualties on both sides and witnessed the largest engagement of armoured vehicles and the largest tank battle since World War II. Hostilities between the two countries ended after a ceasefire was declared through UNSC Resolution 211 following a diplomatic intervention by the Soviet Union and the United States, and the subsequent issuance of the Tashkent Declaration. Much of the war was fought by the countries' land forces in Kashmir and along the border between India and Pakistan. This war saw the largest amassing of troops in Kashmir since the Partition of India in 1947, a number that was overshadowed only during the 2001–2002 military standoff between India and Pakistan. Most of the battles were fought by opposing infantry and armoured units, with substantial backing from air forces, and naval operations. India had the upper hand over Pakistan on the ground when the ceasefire was declared, but the PAF managed to achieve air superiority over the combat zones despite being numerically inferior. Although the two countries fought to a standoff, the conflict is seen as a strategic and political defeat for Pakistan, as it had not succeeded in fomenting an insurrection in Kashmir and was instead forced to shift gears in the defence of Lahore. India also failed to achieve its objective of military deterrence and did not capitalise on its advantageous military situation before the ceasefire was declared.

Infobox

Date
5 August – 23 September 1965 (1 month, 2 weeks and 4 days)
Location
Kashmir Punjab Rajasthan Bengal
Result
Inconclusive
Territorial changes
Status quo ante bellum

Tables

· Assessment of losses
Casualties
Casualties
Col 1
Casualties
Indian claims
Army: 169 commissioned officers (1 brigadier, 9 lieutenant-colonels, 30 majors, 39 captains, 11 lieutenants, 79 second lieutenants), 80 junior commissioned officers (JCO), 1,820 other ranks Air force: 19 officers, 21 other ranks
Pakistani claims
1,039 Pakistani soldiers, 9,500 Indian soldiers
Independent Sources
3,000 Indian soldiers, 3,800 Pakistani soldiers
Combat flying effort
Combat flying effort
Col 1
Combat flying effort
Indian claims
4,073+ combat sorties
Pakistani claims
2,279 combat sorties
Aircraft lost
Aircraft lost
Col 1
Aircraft lost
Indian claims
59 IAF (official), 43 PAF. In addition, Indian sources claim that there were 13 IAF aircraft lost in accidents, and three Indian civilian aircraft shot down.
Pakistani claims
19 PAF, 104 IAF
Independent Sources
20 PAF, 60–75 IAF
Aerial victories
Aerial victories
Col 1
Aerial victories
Indian claims
17 + 3 (post-war)
Pakistani claims
30
Independent Sources
Tanks destroyed
Tanks destroyed
Col 1
Tanks destroyed
Indian claims
128 Indian tanks, 152 Pakistani tanks captured, 150 Pakistani tanks destroyed. Officially, 471 Pakistani tanks destroyed and 38 captured
Pakistani claims
165 Pakistan tanks, 475 Indian tanks
Land area won
Land area won
Col 1
Land area won
Indian claims
1,900 km2 (720 mi2) of Pakistani territory
Pakistani claims
4,190 km2 (1,617 mi2) of Indian territory
Independent Sources
India held 1,840 km2 (710 sq mi) of Pakistani territory and Pakistan held 540 km2 (210 mi2) of Indian territory
Indian claims
Pakistani claims
Independent Sources
Casualties
Army: 169 commissioned officers (1 brigadier, 9 lieutenant-colonels, 30 majors, 39 captains, 11 lieutenants, 79 second lieutenants), 80 junior commissioned officers (JCO), 1,820 other ranks Air force: 19 officers, 21 other ranks
1,039 Pakistani soldiers, 9,500 Indian soldiers
3,000 Indian soldiers, 3,800 Pakistani soldiers
Combat flying effort
4,073+ combat sorties
2,279 combat sorties
Aircraft lost
59 IAF (official), 43 PAF. In addition, Indian sources claim that there were 13 IAF aircraft lost in accidents, and three Indian civilian aircraft shot down.
19 PAF, 104 IAF
20 PAF, 60–75 IAF
Aerial victories
17 + 3 (post-war)
30
Tanks destroyed
128 Indian tanks, 152 Pakistani tanks captured, 150 Pakistani tanks destroyed. Officially, 471 Pakistani tanks destroyed and 38 captured
165 Pakistan tanks, 475 Indian tanks
Land area won
1,900 km2 (720 mi2) of Pakistani territory
4,190 km2 (1,617 mi2) of Indian territory
India held 1,840 km2 (710 sq mi) of Pakistani territory and Pakistan held 540 km2 (210 mi2) of Indian territory

References

  1. License-built North American F-86 Sabres with Canadian engines.
  2. India accepted unconditional ceasefire in principle as early as 14 September.
  3. Air Warfare in the Missile Age
    https://books.google.com/books?id=1K5qBgAAQBAJ&pg=PT149
  4. History of the Indo-Pak War, 1965
    https://phpisn.ethz.ch/lory1.ethz.ch/collections/coll_india/documents/1965Chapter01.pdf
  5. T. V. Paul 1994, p. 107.
  6. War Despatches
  7. History of the Indo-Pak War, 1965
    https://phpisn.ethz.ch/lory1.ethz.ch/collections/coll_india/documents/1965Chapter01.pdf
  8. "M48 Patton vs Centurion: Indo-Pakistani War 1965 – Osprey Duel 71, Page 36"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20250113154916/https://ibb.co/FhD5H2P
  9. THE M47 AND M48 PATTON TANKS – Osprey New Vanguard 31 by STEVEN J. ZALOGA, Page 22
    https://web.archive.org/web/20241227180202/https://ibb.co/7W0FK99
  10. The 1965 War. A Summary by Major Agha Humayun Amin – Analysis
    https://www.brownpundits.com/2015/09/06/the-1965-war-summary-by-major-amin/
  11. Warfare and Armed Conflicts: A Statistical Encyclopedia of Casualty and Other Figures, 1492–2015, 4th ed
    https://books.google.com/books?id=kNzCDgAAQBAJ&pg=PA600
  12. Encyclopedia of Wars
    https://books.google.com/books?id=E-SUAQAACAAJ
  13. The Roots and Consequences of 20th-Century Warfare: Conflicts That Shaped the Modern World
    https://books.google.com/books?id=gBbHEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA267
  14. Tucker, Spencer (2004). Tanks: An Illustrated History of Their Impact. ABC-CLIO. PAGE 172. ISBN 978-1-57607-995-9. ARCHI
    https://web.archive.org/web/20250207153525/https://ibb.co/5gT22dvr
  15. Tank Battles of the Cold War, 1948–1991
    https://books.google.com/books?id=50MrEAAAQBAJ
  16. Encyclopedia of the developing world
    https://books.google.com/books?id=pWRjGZ9H7hYC&pg=PA806
  17. In the Hegemon's Shadow: Leading States and the Rise of Regional Powers
    https://books.google.com/books?id=YFsbDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA112
  18. Defence Journal
  19. David R. Higgins 2016.
  20. Rachna Bisht 2015.
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