Summary

Post Independence India Class 04

A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE PREVIOUS CLASS AND Q&A SESSION (05:04 PM)

1962 WAR- CAUSES OF WAR (05:14 PM)

Trigger was the forward policy of India (1960-62) whereby Indian troops crossed the Macmahon line in 1914 and skirmishes began. In response, China also adopted the Forward policy leading to tensions.
Cuban Missile Crisis October 1962- USA, USSR, and other major powers were busy in this crisis, therefore, an opportunity for China as fewer chances of foreign intervention in favor of India.
War continued for one month followed by a unilateral ceasefire by China on 28th November 1962, China defeated Indian forces and also captured both Aksai Chin and NEFA. Upon ceasefire, China Withdrew from NEFA but not from Aksai Chin [* Therefore achieved by war what was proposed in negotiations].

REASONS FOR LOSS (05:30 PM)

Poor political leadership and poor planning. Example- When skirmishes began after the forward policy, Nehru opined that China won't ever go to war as it may lead to WW III. Also, Defence Minister V K Krishna Menon opined that Pakistan is a bigger threat than China [* In response to Army Chief]
India did not get foreign help due to our NAM (Non-Aligned Movement) policy which prevented assurance of Military help also foreign powers were busy in the Cuban missile crisis.
Impact-
First time Nehru faced a No-confidence motion and also was blamed for failing to protect the national interest.
The government was blamed for political interference in the conduct of war.
Due to high war expenditure third Five-year plan was badly affected.
Huge loss of Military prestige for India and the Indian military.

BORDER TALKS (05:39 PM)

From 1976 onwards, relations improved leading to 1981 high-level border talks but then the 1987 Sumdorng chu incident in Arunachal Pradesh led to the derailment of talks.
1988- Rajiv Gandhi's visit to China led to the setting up of a Joint working group [In JWG, senior bureaucrats meet regularly to find solutions and overcome differences small and big ].
Finally 1993, agreement on the maintenance of peace and tranquillity along LAC (Line of Actual Control).
In 1996, the Agreement on CBM (Confidence building measures) in the military field along LAC.
2003- After 14 rounds of JWG talks, two special representatives were appointed to find political solutions (* From the Indian side, the special representative is the National security adviser, NSA and three stages were envisaged in the peace process )
In 2005, the first stage was completed as we signed an agreement on political parameters and guiding principles
a) Solve peacefully and don't affect other bilateral engagements.
b) Must be mutually accepted solutions also final and whole solutions.
c) Be Flexible and respect each other strategic interests.
d) Consider historical evidence and national sentiments.
e) Geographically sensible boundaries.
f) No exchange of populated areas.
g) Pending final agreement, maintain Peace and continue CBMs and respect LAC and special representatives should develop a framework for the second stage.
Second stage-
Develop a framework for boundary settlement that will be the basis for demarcating borders with the help of officials and surveyors.
We are in the second stage at present.
Third stage
Demarcate border on the map and ground.

LAL BAHADUR SHASTRI ERA, 1964-66 (06:37 PM)

After the death of Nehru in 1964, congress had to choose the next PM
Syndicates were a group of powerful leaders from Non-Hindi speaking areas example- Kamraj, Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy, S K Patil, etc.
They wanted a puppet PM who would follow party directions, therefore, they chose Lal Bahadur Shastri who had a polite personality, was honest and hard-working, and was not very commanding.
Challenges inherited by Lal Bahadur Shastri
Economic- Third Five-year plan was badly affected due to unexpectedly high war expenditure also consecutive droughts in 1962 and 1963 hurt agrarian GDP and contributed to the challenge of food security and food inflation, Therefore, economic slowdown. This also contributed to law and order instability.
Political- Lal Bahadur Shastri was not viewed as a strong personality like Nehru, therefore, perception of weak political leadership and pressures of factionalism.
[* Link factionalism of Modern Indian History post-Ranjeet Singh 1801-1839, Post Strong Peshwa, Nana saheb (1740-1761), Post- Aurangzeb (1658-1707), etc].
There was a problem of Demand for the creation of Punjab as a sikh Majority state, also the official language issue created a problem.
Military- 1965 Indo-Pak war (07:20 PM)
Reasons/ Background
a.) Pakistan felt militarily confident due to
a.1) Defeat of India in the 1962 war
a.2) Sale of sophisticated weapons by USA example- Paton tanks
a.3) 1963- Pakistan gave Shakshgam Valley to China from PoK, therefore expected Chinese help.
a.4) Pakistan expected USA support as Pakistan had joined Military alliances led by the USA like SEATO 1954 and CENTO 1958.
a.5) Also known assurances of military help to India by USSR since India followed NAM.
a.6) Also Indian economy wasn't doing well and perception of weak political leadership.
b) Also Pakistan expected support from Kashmiris if it attacked J&K. This was due to ongoing protests and unrest created by Sheikh Abdulla and others (Sheikh Abdulla was demanding autonomy greater than as given by Article 370 Example- Wanted their own military for J&K also he began demanding plebiscite under USA influence).
Events during the War
Pakistan checked Indian military preparedness by attacking Rann of Kutch and found India unprepared. Rann of Kutch is a marshy Area and India was not expecting an attack on this front. And therefore, wasn't ready. Pakistan demanded 9100 Sq km. After this attack, Britain mediated leading to a ceasefire and a tribunal which in 1968, gave Pakistan 910 Sq Km.
Operation Gibraltar- August 1965- By Pakistan whereby 40000 Militarily trained infiltrators entered India with the goal of starting a civil rebellion by Kashmiris. However, the operation failed as they did not get the desired response from Indians, and effective intelligence with Indian forces led to their suppression.
Operation Grandslam- September 1965- By Pakistan-
i) Akhnoor connects J& K to the rest of India. The goal was to attack Akhnoor and cut off supplies to Indian forces in J&K.
ii) Meanwhile Lal Bahadur Shastri was being criticized for his indecisiveness/ Inaction during the conflict in Rann of Kutch. Example- Vijay Laxmi Pandit stated that Lal bahadur shastri is the prisoner of indecision.
Along with Army Chief, Lal Bahadur Shastri decided to open a second front in Punjab so Pakistani forces could be diverted from J&K leading to the failure of Operation Grandslam. This decision could have brought external players like China and USA into war in favour of Pakistan as now it would have been an all-out war on multiple fronts. [* Good leadership- Strong decision-making ability and action followed words]
India successfully captured 1920 Sq Km in Pakistan and reached the outskirts of Lahore while Pakistan captured 540 Sq Km. India also captured Haji Peer, which connected PoK with J&K and therefore was a highly strategic location.
Also, India also destroyed many Paton tanks in Pakistan, therefore real Gains during War were made by India.
The USA did not help Pakistan as it was heavily involved in the Vietnam War, 1961-75 (Under Jhonson- 1963-69, who sent a million troops and heavily bombarded North Vietnam).
Russia did not openly support India but made it clear to China that USSR would be forced to come to the military aid of India if China supported Pakistan.

TASHKENT AGREEMENT 1966 (08:11 PM)

USSR feared the involvement of the USA and escalation of war if the war continued longer, therefore putting pressure on India and Pakistan for a ceasefire and Pakistan accepted.

The Topic for the next class:- Tashkent Agreement and the aftermath of the war.