Portal:India/Today's selected article/March 2, 2006



Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a military conflict between India and Pakistan. The war is closely associated with Bangladesh Liberation War on India's Western front during the period between 3 December 1971 and 16 December 1971. The War ended in a crushing defeat for Pakistan Military in just a fortnight. On 27 March 1971, Indira Gandhi, expressed full support of her government to the Bangladeshi struggle for freedom. The Bangladesh-India border was opened to allow the tortured and panic-stricken Bengalis safe shelter in India. The governments of West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura established refugee camps along the border. Exiled Bangladeshi army officers and voluntary workers from India immediately started using these camps for the recruitment and training of Mukti Bahini guerrillas. On December 16, the Pakistani forces in East Pakistan surrendered. The next day Indira Gandhi announced a unilateral ceasefire, to which Pakistan agreed. (more...)