India and Pakistan War : History : 1

 The Indo-Pakistani War of 1965

The Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, also referred to as the Second India–Pakistan War, was a significant military conflict between India and Pakistan that occurred from August to September 1965. The hostilities were initiated by Pakistan through Operation Gibraltar, a covert mission intended to infiltrate forces into the Indian-administered region of Jammu and Kashmir to incite an insurgency against Indian governance. However, the operation failed to achieve its objectives and escalated into a full-scale war.

        The conflict, which lasted for seventeen days, resulted in thousands of casualties on both sides and involved extensive use of armoured units, culminating in the largest tank battle witnessed since the Second World War. The majority of the combat took place in the region of Kashmir and along the international border between the two nations, primarily involving ground forces, supported by air and limited naval operations.

        The war concluded following diplomatic interventions by the Soviet Union and the United States, which led to the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 211, mandating a ceasefire. This was subsequently formalized through the signing of the Tashkent Declaration.

         This war marked the most substantial military buildup in the Kashmir region since the Partition of India in 1947, a scale only surpassed during the 2001–2002 India–Pakistan military standoff. The conflict prominently featured engagements between infantry and armoured divisions, underpinned by the strategic involvement of the respective air forces.

          Strategic Outcomes and Geopolitical Impact of the 1965 Indo-Pakistani War

           At the time the ceasefire was declared, India held a tactical advantage over Pakistan. However, in the domain of aerial combat, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) demonstrated superior operational effectiveness in key combat zones, despite its numerical inferiority. While the war ended in a military stalemate, it is widely regarded as a strategic and political setback for Pakistan. The nation's initial objective—to incite an uprising in Kashmir—was unsuccessful, and Pakistani forces were eventually compelled to redirect their efforts toward the defense of Lahore. Conversely, India, despite its favorable military position, failed to translate its advantage into a decisive outcome or establish a credible deterrent prior to the ceasefire.

           On the international stage, the conflict was interpreted through the lens of the broader Cold War dynamics, leading to a significant geopolitical realignment in South Asia. Prior to the war, both India and Pakistan had maintained strong defense and developmental ties with the United States and the United Kingdom, who served as their primary suppliers of military hardware and economic assistance. However, during the war, both nations perceived a lack of meaningful support from the Western powers. This perception was exacerbated by the imposition of a military embargo by the United States and the United Kingdom on both belligerents.

          As a result, India and Pakistan began to pursue new strategic partnerships, aligning more closely with the Soviet Union and China, respectively. The Western powers' perceived neutrality—or indifference—during the conflict, and again during the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War, fostered a long-lasting sense of mistrust toward the West across the subcontinent. Although diplomatic and economic relations with the United States and the United Kingdom have improved significantly since the end of the Cold War, the lingering effects of these historical grievances continue to shape South Asia's engagement with Western nations.

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