Gajendra Singh Godara
Sep 23, 2025
15
mins read
At Independence (August 1947), the princely states were given the option to join India or Pakistan. The Maharaja of Jammu & Kashmir initially chose independence, but when Pakistani tribal militias invaded Kashmir in October 1947, he signed the Instrument of Accession to India (26 Oct 1947). This set the stage for the First Indo–Pak War. Notably, the United Nations became involved: UNSC Resolution 47 (Apr 1948) proposed a ceasefire and plebiscite in Kashmir, and United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) was later established to monitor the ceasefire line. Over the decades, India and Pakistan have also signed treaties (e.g. Tashkent Declaration 1966, Simla Agreement 1972) aimed at restoring peace after wars.
Table of content
India and Pakistan have fought four major full-scale wars:
First Indo-Pak War (1947–48) – over Jammu & Kashmir.
Second Indo-Pak War (1965) – again over Kashmir (Operation Gibraltar).
India-Pakistan War (1971) – fought on two fronts during the Bangladesh Liberation.
Kargil War (1999) – limited war in the Kargil/Dras sector of Kashmir.
In addition to these four wars, there have been numerous other conflicts and skirmishes (e.g. the 1965 Rann of Kutch clash, the long-running Siachen conflict, the 2001–02 and 2008 military standoffs, 2016 Uri strike/surgical strikes, and 2019 Pulwama/Balakot engagements).
Below is a table summarizing the List of Wars Between India and Pakistan: their years, key causes, and outcomes:
War (Year) | Cause / Trigger | Outcome / Result |
First Kashmir War (1947–48) | Maharaja Hari Singh’s accession + tribal invasion of J&K | UN-brokered ceasefire (Jan 1949) and the LoC dividing J&K (Kashmir remains disputed). |
Second Indo-Pak War (1965) | Pakistan’s Operation Gibraltar (infiltrate Kashmir) | Ceasefire (Sept 1965); Tashkent Declaration (Jan 1966) restored status quo ante. |
Indo-Pak War (1971) | Bengali liberation movement; Pakistani crackdown (East Pakistan) | Decisive Indian victory; Pakistan’s Eastern Command surrendered (Dec 16, 1971); Bangladesh born. |
Kargil Conflict (1999) | Pakistani paramilitary infiltration in Kargil (LoC) | India recaptured all positions; Pakistan withdrew under international pressure. |
Background & Cause:
Immediately after Partition, Kashmir’s Hindu ruler (Maharaja Hari Singh) hesitated to join either dominion. In October 1947, Pashtun tribal militias from Pakistan invaded Kashmir.
Facing the invasion, the Maharaja signed the Instrument of Accession to India (26 Oct 1947), bringing Indian armed forces into the war.
Course of War:
India airlifted troops to Srinagar and fought the invaders. Major battles occurred in the Baramulla, Uri, and Kashmir Valley areas, as well as in Jammu. Pakistan managed to hold territory in what is now Pakistan-administered Kashmir (PoK). India counter-attacked to stem the advance, leading to intense fighting.
Outcome:
A UN-mediated ceasefire came into effect on 1 Jan 1949, ending hostilities. This ceasefire established the Line of Control (LoC), dividing Kashmir between India and Pakistan. Around one-third of Kashmir (north and west) went to Pakistan, and two-thirds (south and east) stayed with India.
Crucially, the Kashmir issue remained unresolved. (India had even offered a plebiscite under UN auspices, but it never took place.) The 1947 war also led to the creation of the UN Commission for India and Pakistan, tasked with implementing peace terms.
Background & Cause:
Tensions simmered over Kashmir. In August 1965, Pakistan launched Operation Gibraltar – sending armed infiltrators into Indian Kashmir to foment rebellion. When the plan failed, Pakistan escalated by attacking on the international border (Lahore sector).
Course of War:
India responded by crossing the border and attacking deep into Pakistani territory (notably in Lahore, Sialkot and the Rann of Kutch). Major battles were fought in Punjab plains and around Kashmir. After roughly 5 weeks of fighting (August–September 1965), heavy casualties on both sides convinced both to cease.
Outcome:
On 23 Sept 1965, a UN-mandated ceasefire took effect. Subsequently, India and Pakistan signed the Tashkent Declaration (Jan 10, 1966) in Uzbekistan, under Soviet auspices. Both sides agreed to withdraw to pre-war positions (as of 5 Aug 1965) and restore normal relations.
The Kashmir status quo ante was largely maintained (no territorial changes), but the war underlined that direct conflict over Kashmir had become dangerous.
Background & Cause:
In East Pakistan (modern Bangladesh), the 1970 elections gave a landslide to Bangladeshi leaders (Awami League), but West Pakistani rulers refused to transfer power. A brutal military crackdown (Operation Searchlight) in March 1971 led to massive atrocities and an exodus of over 10 million refugees into India.
India covertly aided the Bengali Mukti Bahini guerrillas.On 3 Dec 1971, Pakistan launched Operation Chengiz Khan – air strikes on Indian airfields. India, which had been supporting Bengali self-determination, formally declared war and attacked on two fronts.
Course of War:
The war was short but intense. Indian forces quickly rolled back Pakistani troops in East Pakistan (especially notable battles like Longewala in Rajasthan and advances to Dhaka) while also engaging Pakistani forces on the western front. In just 13 days (3–16 Dec 1971) India achieved decisive victories.
Outcome:
On 16 Dec 1971, Pakistan’s Eastern Command surrendered at Dhaka with over 90,000 troops becoming POWs. Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan) became independent – a historic outcome of the war. India emerged as the dominant South Asian power, having thwarted a major refugee crisis and demonstrated its military capability.
The Simla Agreement (1972) was later signed to establish the rules of peace. Casualties were enormous: estimates suggest between 0.3 to 3 million people died in the conflict. This war fundamentally altered regional geopolitics by creating Bangladesh.
Background & Cause:
In May 1999, Pakistani forces and Kashmiri militants covertly occupied strategic heights on the Indian side of the LoC in the Kargil/Dras sector of Jammu & Kashmir. Pakistan’s apparent aim was to sever the link to Leh (National Highway 1A) and internationalize the Kashmir issue.
Course of War:
India launched Operation Vijay to flush out the intruders, with the Indian Army and Air Force jointly engaging (Operation Safed Sagar). Fierce mountain warfare ensued in peaks like Tiger Hill, Tololing, and Tololing. The conflict lasted through May–July 1999, and international attention was high, as this was one of the only conventional wars between two nuclear-armed states.
Outcome:
By July 1999, Indian forces had recaptured nearly all occupied peaks. Facing global diplomatic pressure (notably from the US), Pakistan withdrew its remaining troops.
The war reaffirmed the 1972 Simla-defined LoC as the border (no territory changed hands). Importantly, Pakistan’s clandestine operation (unknown to its civilian government) was exposed. Kargil showed the risks of war under nuclear shadow – both sides exercised restraint after July, avoiding full-scale escalation.
Beyond these four wars, India and Pakistan have clashed in many smaller conflicts and military standoffs:
Rann of Kutch (1965): A border skirmish (Apr–June 1965) in the Rann of Kutch (Gujarat) where India and Pakistan exchanged artillery and small-arm fire. India later prevailed via an international tribunal, but this conflict presaged the larger 1965 war.
Siachen Conflict (1984–2003): India launched Operation Meghdoot (April 1984) to occupy the Siachen Glacier, securing the heights along the Saltoro Ridge. India gained control of the entire glacier region, and a formal ceasefire was declared in 2003 (nevertheless both sides maintain troops there in one of the world’s highest battlefields).
Border Standoffs: Major standoffs occurred in Dec 2001–Oct 2002 (after the Parliament attack), and in 2008 (after the Mumbai attacks), where India mobilized forces on the border. These tensions were eventually defused by diplomacy.
Terrorist Incidents and Retaliatory Strikes:
In 2016 a terrorist attack at Uri (J&K) prompted cross-border surgical strikes by India on camps in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.
In Feb 2019 the Pulwama attack led to India’s Balakot airstrikes; this triggered aerial engagement (with pilot Abhinandan’s capture/return).
More recently, the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack led to India’s Operation Sindoor (punitive strikes) across the LoC, highlighting how insurgent violence escalates into military responses.
These conflicts underline that even without “official” war declarations, the India-Pakistan border remains one of the world’s most militarized frontiers.
Across all conflicts, territorial disputes and the Partition legacy have been primary causes.
Kashmir’s contested status is central: every Indo–Pak war (1947, 1965, 1999) was directly related to Kashmir.
The 1971 war’s cause was Bangladesh’s autonomy movement and Pakistan’s refusal to honour elections.
Other factors include ideological differences (founding visions of India and Pakistan), Cold War alignments (e.g., US/China ties with Pakistan, USSR with India in 1971), and proxy terrorism.
The consequences have been profound.
Human costs are enormous (e.g., up to 3 million killed in the 1971 war).
Wars have generated massive refugee flows (millions of Bengalis in 1971).
Politically, wars have redrawn boundaries: India lost no territory in 1965 and 1999, but in 1948 it ceded part of Kashmir to Pakistan (the LoC), and in 1971 Pakistan lost East Pakistan outright.
Diplomatically, conflicts have led to treaties (e.g. 1949 Karachi Agreement delineating the ceasefire line; 1972 Simla Agreement reinforcing bilateral resolution of issues).
Militarily, each war led to reassessments of strategy and readiness (e.g. India’s Cold Start doctrine in recent years).
Nuclearization (after 1974–98 tests) means any future war would carry enormous risk. In sum, Indo–Pak wars shaped regional geopolitics (e.g. creation of Bangladesh), entrenched hostilities, and continued to influence policies.
FAQ's
Q. How many wars have there been between India and Pakistan?
A. Four major wars (1947–48, 1965, 1971, 1999) have been fought between the two countries, along with several smaller conflicts and standoffs.
Q. What was the first Indo-Pak war?
A. The first was the 1947–48 Kashmir War. It began in Oct 1947 when tribal fighters (supported by Pakistan) invaded J&K. Maharaja Hari Singh’s accession to India led India to intervene and push back the invaders.
Q. What happened in the 1971 war between India & Pakistan?
A. In 1971 India intervened in East Pakistan’s liberation struggle. After 13 days of fighting, Pakistani forces in East Pakistan surrendered on Dec 16, 1971, leading to the creation of Bangladesh.
Q. What was the significance of the 1999 Indo-Pak war?
A. The 1999 Kargil War was significant for being a high-altitude conflict after both countries became nuclear powers. India evicted the infiltrators and regained territory on its side of the LoC. It underscored the dangers of covert aggression and led to renewed global pressure to keep the peace.
Q. Why is the 1947 war important?
A. The 1947–48 war set the Kashmir issue for decades. It resulted in the LoC dividing the state. As the first Indo-Pak conflict, it shaped subsequent relations and proved how Partition grievances could lead to major wars.
Q. How do these wars affect India’s foreign policy today?
A. Past wars have made Pakistan relations a central security concern. For example, India often cites the Simla Agreement or UN resolutions in diplomatic talks. Recent events (like Pakistan suspending the Simla Pact in 2025) show how historical treaties still shape policy. These conflicts have led India to emphasize military readiness and seek wider international support in its foreign policy.
Conclusion
India–Pakistan wars (1947, 1965, 1971, 1999) have been turning points in South Asian history. Each war had clear triggers – from Kashmir’s accession and tribal incursions to Bangladesh’s liberation – and led to lasting outcomes (LoC division, Bangladesh’s creation, reaffirmation of borders). Understanding every war’s cause and consequence, from the Instrument of Accession to the Simla Agreement, is vital. In summary, a thorough grasp of Indo–Pak wars strengthens one’s command over India’s post-Independence challenges and informs strategies to prevent future conflicts.
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