The
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head is the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who is a four- ...
had no standby force ready in 1971 with the specific task of attacking
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a Pakistani province established in 1955 by the One Unit Scheme, One Unit Policy, renaming the province as such from East Bengal, which, in modern times, is split between India and Bangladesh. Its land borders were with India ...
, one of the many reasons why
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
did not immediately intervene after
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
launched
Operation Searchlight
Operation Searchlight was the codename for a planned military operation carried out by the Pakistan Army in an effort to curb the Bengali nationalist movement in former East Pakistan in March 1971. Pakistan retrospectively justified the opera ...
in March 1971. Indian Army's
Eastern Command was tasked with defending the northern and eastern borders and fighting the insurgencies in
Nagaland
Nagaland () is a landlocked state in the northeastern region of India. It is bordered by the Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh to the north, Assam to the west, Manipur to the south and the Sagaing Region of Myanmar to the east. Its capital cit ...
,
Mizoram
Mizoram () is a state in Northeast India, with Aizawl as its seat of government and capital city. The name of the state is derived from "Mizo people, Mizo", the endonym, self-described name of the native inhabitants, and "Ram", which in the Mizo ...
and
Naxalites in
West Bengal
West Bengal (, Bengali: ''Poshchim Bongo'', , abbr. WB) is a state in the eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabitants within an area of . West Bengal is the fourt ...
at that time.
Mukti Bahini
The Mukti Bahini ( bn, মুক্তিবাহিনী, translates as 'freedom fighters', or liberation army), also known as the Bangladesh Forces, was the guerrilla resistance movement consisting of the Bangladeshi military, paramilitary ...
, aided by the Indian army through
Operation Jackpot
The Operation Jackpot was a codename for three operations undertaken by Bengali ''Mukti Bahini'' in former East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) against the Federation of Pakistan during the climax of the Bangladesh Liberation War.''Surrender at Da ...
, led the struggle against the
Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army (, ) is the Army, land service branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The roots of its modern existence trace back to the British Indian Army that ceased to exist following the partition of India, Partition of British India, wh ...
while the Indian Army readied for intervention. General
M. A. G. Osmani
Muhammad Ataul Goni Osmani ( bn, মুহাম্মদ আতাউল গণি ওসমানী; 1 September 1918 – 16 February 1984), also known as ''Bangabir'' (the Hero of Bengal), was a Bengali military leader. Osmani's career ...
, Commander-in-Chief
Bangladesh Forces
The Mukti Bahini ( bn, মুক্তিবাহিনী, translates as 'freedom fighters', or liberation army), also known as the Bangladesh Forces, was the guerrilla resistance movement consisting of the Bangladeshi military, paramilitary ...
, had divided Mukti Bahini forces into 11 geographical sectors for command and control purpose. Mukti Bahini forces numbered 30,000 regular soldiers (including 3 brigades containing 8 infantry battalions and 3 artillery batteries) and at least 100,000 guerrillas by December 1971.
The Indian Army Eastern Command assembled two existing infantry corps, the
IV Corps and the
XXXIII Corps, for operations in Bangladesh, and created a new corps (
II Corps) besides reorganising the 101 Communication Zone as a combat formation. On 21 November 1971, the Indian and Bangladesh forces were put under a joint command structure
India Bangladesh force in the eastern theatre, led by
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...
Jagjit Singh Aurora
Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Arora (also Jagjit Singh Aurora)Both spellings are used in official documents; though "Aurora" predominates in the listings in the pre-Independence ''Indian Army List'', as do those in the ''Gazette of India''. ...
, and this force came to be known as ''Mitro Bahini''. In addition to 29 battalions of the
Border Security Force
The Border Security Force (BSF) is India's border guarding organisation on its border with Pakistan and Bangladesh. It is one of the seven Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) of India, and was raised in the wake of the 1965 war on 1 December 1 ...
(BSF), Mukti Bahini guerrillas operating near the border or awaiting deployment in camps inside India were organised into infantry companies and attached to various Indian formations.
Indian Army Eastern Command
HQ:
Fort William,
Kolkata
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...
GOC-in-C (Indian Army):
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...
Jagjit Singh Aurora
Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Arora (also Jagjit Singh Aurora)Both spellings are used in official documents; though "Aurora" predominates in the listings in the pre-Independence ''Indian Army List'', as do those in the ''Gazette of India''. ...
COS:
Major General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
JFR Jacob
Director Military Operations: Major General
Inderjit Singh Gill,
MC
Director
Operation Jackpot
The Operation Jackpot was a codename for three operations undertaken by Bengali ''Mukti Bahini'' in former East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) against the Federation of Pakistan during the climax of the Bangladesh Liberation War.''Surrender at Da ...
: Lieutenant General B.N. 'Jimmy' Sirkar
Bangladesh Forces Liaison: Group Captain A.K. Khandkar,
HQ: 8, Theater Road, Kolkata
Units attached to Eastern Command but outside Bangladesh operational area:
From IV Corps:
*
2nd Infantry Division in North eastern border
*
5th Infantry Division in North eastern border
From XXXIII Corps:
*
17th Mountain division in
Sikkim
Sikkim (; ) is a state in Northeastern India. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in the north and northeast, Bhutan in the east, Province No. 1 of Nepal in the west and West Bengal in the south. Sikkim is also close to the Siligur ...
*27th Mountain division in Kalimpong, North Bengal
Airborne forces attached to Eastern Command:
*
50th (Independent) Parachute Brigade CO: Brigadier Mathew Thomas
*2nd battalion
Parachute Regiment (2 Para) (in airborne role) CO: Lieutenant Colonel
Kulwant Singh Pannu
Major General Kulwant Singh Pannu, MVC was an officer of the Indian Army and a recipient of the Maha Vir Chakra. He was initially commissioned as an officer in the 3 Gorkha Rifles in 1952, and joined the Parachute Regiment in 1957 after completi ...
*7th battalion
Parachute Regiment (7 Para) CO: Lieutenant Colonel RP Singh (KIA)
*8th battalion
Parachute Regiment (8 Para) CO: Lieutenant Colonel
Afsir Karim
Major General Afsir Karim, was an Indian Army general and military scholar who has authored several books on strategic affairs & military studies. He was a graduate of the Defense Services Staff College, Wellington and the National Defence Coll ...
*17 Para Field Regiment CO: Lieutenant Colonel Khanna
*60 Para Medical Company CO: Lieutenant Colonel M Kumar
Eastern Command Reserve:
*
6th Mountain division less brigade HQ: Cooch Bihar GOC: Major General P.C. Reddy
**2 Engineer Regiments and bomb disposal group
Bengal Area
GOC: Major General J.P. Chowdhury HQ: Kolkata
**1st battalion
3rd Gurkha Rifles (1/3 GR)
**11th battalion Bihar Regiment (11 Bihar)
**12th battalion
Garhwal Rifles
The Garhwal Rifles, formerly known as the Royal Garhwal Rifles, are an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. It was originally raised in 1887 as the 39th (Garhwal) Regiment of the Bengal Army. It then became part of the British Indian Army, and a ...
(12 Garh Rif)
**Engineers and bomb disposal units
Western Sector
Area of Operation:
Khulna
Khulna ( bn, খুলনা, ) is the third-largest city in Bangladesh, after Dhaka and Chittagong. It is the administrative centre of Khulna District and Khulna Division. Khulna's economy is the third-largest in Bangladesh, contributing $53 b ...
,
Jessore
Jessore ( bn, যশোর, jôshor, ), officially Jashore, is a city of Jessore District situated in Khulna Division. It is situated in the south-western part of Bangladesh. It is the administrative centre (headquarter) of the eponymous district ...
,
Kushtia and
Faridpur districts
II Corps
GOC: Lieutenant General
T.N. 'Tappy' Raina HQ: Krishnanagar,
West Bengal
West Bengal (, Bengali: ''Poshchim Bongo'', , abbr. WB) is a state in the eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabitants within an area of . West Bengal is the fourt ...
*
50th (Independent) Parachute Brigade – Brig M. Thomas, less 2 Para battalion group in airborne role
*8th Mountain Artillery Brigade
*58th, 68th and 263rd Engineering Regiments
9th Infantry Division
GOC: Major General Dalbir Singh
*32 Infantry Brigade – Brigadier M Tewari
*42 Infantry Brigade – Brigadier J. M. Jhoria
*350 Infantry Brigade – Brigadier H. S. Sandhu
*9th Artillery Brigade
**
45th Cavalry (
PT-76
The PT-76 is a Soviet amphibious light tank that was introduced in the early 1950s and soon became the standard reconnaissance tank of the Soviet Army and the other Warsaw Pact armed forces. It was widely exported to other friendly states, like ...
s)
**102nd Engineer Regiment
*Mukti Bahini Sector #9 – Major Jalil
4th Mountain Division
GOC: Major General M.S. Barar
HQ: Krishnanagar
*7th Mountain Brigade – Brigadier Zail Singh
*41st Mountain Brigade – Brigadier Tony Michigan
*62nd Mountain Brigade - Brigadier Rajinder Nath
*4th Mountain Artillery Brigade
*Mukti Bahini Sector #8 – Lieutenant Colonel M.A. Manzoor
North Western Sector
Area of Operation:
Rajshahi
Rajshahi ( bn, রাজশাহী, ) is a metropolis, metropolitan city and a major urban, commercial and educational centre of Bangladesh. It is also the administrative seat of the eponymous Rajshahi Division, division and Rajshahi District ...
,
Bogra
Bogra ( bn, বগুড়া), officially known as Bogura, is a major city located in Bogra District, Rajshahi Division, Bangladesh. The city is a major commercial hub in Northern Bangladesh. It is the second largest city in Rajshahi Divi ...
,
Dinajpur
Dinajpur ( bn, দিনাজপুর ) is a city and the District headquarters of Dinajpur district situated in Rangpur Division, Bangladesh. It was founded in 1786. It is located 413 km north-west of Dhaka in Bangladesh. It is bound ...
and
Rangpur districts
Corps: XXXIII
GOC: Lieutenant General M. L. Thapan
HQ:
Siliguri
Siliguri, ) is a major tier-II city in West Bengal. It forms twin cities, "Twin Cities" with the neighboring district capital of Jalpaiguri. The city spans areas of the Darjeeling district, Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts in the Indian sta ...
, West Bengal
*Corps Artillery Brigade
*471st Engineering Brigade – Colonel Suri
**235th Engineering Regiment
*2 Para battalion Group in airborne role to parachute over Tangail to capture Poongli Bridge on 11 Dec, Bn gp consisting of:
**A field battery of 17 Para Field Regiment
**A section of 411 Para Field Company
**A surgical team of 60 Para Medical Company
*MF Brigade – Brigadier Prem Singh
*Mukti Bahini Sector #7 – Lieutenant Colonel Q.N. Zaman
*71st Mountain Brigade – Brigadier P. N. Kathpalia
*Mukti Bahini Sector #6 – Wing Commander Mohammad K. Bashar
20th Mountain Division
GOC: Maj. Gen. Lachman Singh
HQ:
Balurghat, West Bengal
*66th Mountain Brigade – Brigadier G. S. Sharma
*165th Mountain Brigade – Brigadier R. S. Pannu
*202nd Mountain Brigade – Brigadier F. P. Bhatty
*3rd Armoured Brigade (
63rd Cavalry (
T-55
The T-54 and T-55 tanks are a series of Soviet main battle tanks introduced in the years following the Second World War. The first T-54 prototype was completed at Nizhny Tagil by the end of 1945.Steven Zaloga, T-54 and T-55 Main Battle Tanks ...
s) and 69th Armoured Regiment (
PT-76
The PT-76 is a Soviet amphibious light tank that was introduced in the early 1950s and soon became the standard reconnaissance tank of the Soviet Army and the other Warsaw Pact armed forces. It was widely exported to other friendly states, like ...
s) – Brigadier G. Singh Sidhu
*20th Mountain Artillery Brigade
**13th Engineering Regiment
*340th Mountain Brigade Group – Brigadier Joginder Singh
**97th Mountain Regiment
6th Mountain Division
(Eastern Command HQ Reserve)
GOC: Major General P. C. Reddy
HQ:
Cooch Bihar
Cooch Behar district () is a district of Indian state of West Bengal.
Formerly part of the Kamarupa kingdom, the area became the heart of the Kamata Kingdom in the 12th century. During the British Raj, the district was known as Cooch Behar st ...
, West Bengal
*9th Mountain Brigade – Brigadier Tirit Varma
*99th Mountain Brigade -
*6th Mountain Artillery Brigade
**51st Engineer Regiment
North Eastern Sector
Area of Operation:
Mymensingh
Mymensingh ( bn, ময়মনসিংহ) is the capital of Mymensingh Division, Bangladesh. Located on the bank of Brahmaputra River, about north of the national capital Dhaka, it is a major financial center and educational hub of north ...
and
Tangail
Tangail ( bn, টাঙ্গাইল, ), is a major city within the Dhaka Division in central Bangladesh. It sits on the bank of the Louhajang River, north-west of Dhaka, the nation's capital. It is considered to be the main urban area of ...
districts
101st Communication Zone
GOC: Major General Gurbax Singh Gil
HQ: Guwahati,
Assam
Assam (; ) is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . The state is bordered by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to the north; Nagaland and Manipur ...
*312 Air Defence Brigade
*342 Independent Air Defence Brigade
**56th Mountain Regiment plus Engineers
*95th Mountain Brigade – Brigadier Hardev Singh Kler
*FJ Sector Brigade – Brigadier Sant Singh
*Mukti Bahini Sector #11 – Lieutenant Colonel Abu Taher
*167th Infantry Brigade – Brigadier Irani (allotted after 8 December 1971)
*5th Mountain Brigade (allotted after 8 December 1971)
Eastern Sector
Area of Operation:
Sylhet,
Comilla
Comilla (; bn, কুমিল্লা, Kumillā, ), officially spelled Cumilla, is the fifth largest city of Bangladesh and second largest in Chittagong division. It is the administrative centre of the Comilla District. The name Comilla was ...
,
Noakhali
Noakhali ( bn, নোয়াখালী, , New canal), historically known as Bhulua ( bn, ভুলুয়া), is a district in southeastern Bangladesh, located in the Chittagong Division. It was established as district in 1821, and officia ...
&
Chittagong
Chittagong ( /ˈtʃɪt əˌɡɒŋ/ ''chit-uh-gong''; ctg, চিটাং; bn, চিটাগং), officially Chattogram ( bn, চট্টগ্রাম), is the second-largest city in Bangladesh after Dhaka and third largest city in B ...
districts
IV Corps
GOC Lieutenant General
Sagat Singh
Lieutenant General Sagat Singh, PVSM (14 July 1919 – 26 September 2001) was a General Officer in the Indian Army notable for his participation in liberation of Goa and later in Bangladesh. He held many commands and staff appointments throughou ...
HQ: Agartala,
Tripura
Tripura (, Bengali: ) is a state in Northeast India. The third-smallest state in the country, it covers ; and the seventh-least populous state with a population of 36.71 lakh ( 3.67 million). It is bordered by Assam and Mizoram to the east a ...
*IV Corps Artillery Brigade
*Three Independent Tank Squadrons
**4th, 62nd, 234th Engineer Regiments and support elements
8th Mountain Division
GOC: Major General
K. V. Krishna Rao
*Echo Force Brigade – Brigadier Wadeker
*Mukti Bahini Sector #5 – Major Mir Shawkat Ali
*59th Mountain Brigade – Brigadier C. A. Quinn
*81st Mountain Brigade – Brigadier R. C. V. Apte
*2nd Mountain Artillery Brigade
*Mukti Bahini Sector #4 – Lieutenant Colonel C.R. Dutta
57th Mountain Division
GOC: Major General B.F. Gonsalves
*Mukti Bahini S Force Brigade – Lieutenant Colonel K.M. Shafiullah
*311th Mountain Brigade – Brigadier Mishra
*73rd Mountain Brigade – Brigadier Tuli
*61st Mountain Brigade – Brigadier Tom Pande
*57th Mountain Artillery Brigade
*Mukti Bahini Sector #3 – Maj. A. N. Nuruzzaman
*Mukti Bahini Sector #2 – Maj. A.T.M Haider
**15th Engineering Regiment
23rd Mountain Division
GOC: Major General R.D. Hira
*301st Mountain Brigade – Brigadier H. S. Sodhi
*181st Mountain Brigade – Brigadier Y. C. Bakshi
*83rd Mountain Brigade – Brigadier B. S. Sandhu
*23rd Mountain Artillery Brigade
*Kilo Force Brigade – Brigadier Ananda Swaroop containing:
**Mukti Bahini Sector #1 – Major Rafiqul Islam
**Mukti Bahini K Force Brigade – Major Salek Chowdhury
**Mizo Range Hills Brigade
[Jacob, Lt. Gen. JFR, ''Surrender at Dacca: Birth of A Nation'', p196]
Indian Navy Eastern Fleet
FOC-in-C:
Vice Admiral Nilakanta KrishnanHQ:
Vishakhapatnam
, image_alt =
, image_caption = From top, left to right: Visakhapatnam aerial view, Vizag seaport, Simhachalam Temple, Aerial view of Rushikonda Beach, Beach road, Novotel Visakhapatnam, INS Kursura submarine museu ...
,
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...
FOCEF:
Rear Admiral S. H. Sarma
A liaison officer from the Navy was posted at Fort William to coordinate matters with the Army Eastern Command. The fleet was at its peacetime standing when radio intercepts warned of PNS ''Ghazi'' entering the Bay of Bengal. and part of the
Eastern Fleet
Eastern may refer to:
Transportation
*China Eastern Airlines, a current Chinese airline based in Shanghai
* Eastern Air, former name of Zambia Skyways
* Eastern Air Lines, a defunct American airline that operated from 1926 to 1991
* Eastern Air ...
was moved to the
Andamans
The Andaman Islands () are an archipelago in the northeastern Indian Ocean about southwest off the coasts of Myanmar's Ayeyarwady Region. Together with the Nicobar Islands to their south, the Andamans serve as a maritime boundary between the ...
as a result.
* –
Captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
Swaraj Parkash (
Majestic-class light aircraft carrier)
*INS ''Brahmaputra'' – Captain J.C. Puri (
''Leopard''-class frigate)
*INS ''Beas'' – Captain L. Ramdas (
''Leopard''-class frigatee)
*INS ''Kamorta'' – Captain
M.P. Awati (
Petya-class frigate
The Petya class was the NATO reporting name for a class of light frigates designed in the 1950s and built for the Soviet Navy in the 1960s. The Soviet designation was "Storozhevoi Korabl`" (Сторожевой Корабль - Sentry Ship) '' ...
)
*INS ''Kavaratti'' - Captain S. Paul (
Petya-class frigate
The Petya class was the NATO reporting name for a class of light frigates designed in the 1950s and built for the Soviet Navy in the 1960s. The Soviet designation was "Storozhevoi Korabl`" (Сторожевой Корабль - Sentry Ship) '' ...
)
*INS ''Rajput'' –
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant commander (also hyphenated lieutenant-commander and abbreviated Lt Cdr, LtCdr. or LCDR) is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander. The corresponding rank i ...
Inder Singh (destroyer)
*INS ''Kalvari'' – (submarine)
*INS ''Khandari'' –
Commander
Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain.
...
R. J. Milan (submarine)
*INS ''Panvel'' – Lieutenant Commander G.R. Naroha (gunboat)
*INS ''Pulikat'' – Lieutenant Commander S. Krishnnan (gunboat)
*INS ''Panaji'' – Lieutenant Commander R. Gupta (gunboat)
*INS ''Akshay'' – Lieutenant Commander S.D. Moore (gunboat)
*INS ''Guldar'' – Lieutenant Commander U. Dabir (landing ship)
*INS ''Gharial'' – Lieutenant Commander A.K. Sharma (landing ship)
*INS ''Maggar'' – Lieutenant Commander A.T.N. Singhal (landing ship)
Bangladesh Navy
The Bangladesh Navy ( bn, বাংলাদেশ নৌবাহিনী, Bangladesh Nou Bahini) is the naval warfare branch of the Bangladesh Armed Forces, responsible for Bangladesh's of maritime territorial area, and the defence of imp ...
Two
gunboat
A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.
History Pre-ste ...
s under Indian officers and crewed by Bengali seamen were engaged in ''Operation Hotpants'' prior to 3 December 1971, harassing merchant traffic to East Pakistan and laying mines on the waterways. After 6 December, when the Indian government recognised Bangladesh as a sovereign nation, the crew wore uniforms of their respective organisations.
Squadron CO: Commander
M.N.R. Samant (On deputation from Indian Navy)
**BNS ''Palash'' – Lieutenant Commander J.K. Rai Chowdhury (Indian Navy) (gunboat)
**BNS ''Padma'' –
Lieutenant
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations.
The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...
S.K. Mitter (On deputation from Indian Navy) (gunboat)
Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its complement of personnel and aircraft assets ranks third amongst the air forces of the world. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial w ...
Eastern Air Command
AOC-in-C:
Air Marshal H. C. Dewan, Temporary advanced HQ at Fort William
Prior to 1971, Indian Air Force had two command centers dealing with the East, Eastern Air Command (HQ
Shillong
Shillong () is a hill station and the capital of Meghalaya, a state in northeastern India, which means "The Abode of Clouds". It is the headquarters of the East Khasi Hills district. Shillong is the 330th most populous city in India with a ...
) responsible for the North Eastern Border, and the
Central Air Command
''Nigrahya Rasava shastrava''
, colors =
, colors_label =
, battles = 1962 Sino-Indian War, East Pakistan Operations 1971, Operation Meghdoot, Orissa Super-Cyclone Relief, 1999
, anniversaries =
, commander1 = Air Marshal Amar Preet Si ...
(HQ
Allahabad
Allahabad (), officially known as Prayagraj, also known as Ilahabad, is a metropolis in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.The other five cities were: Agra, Kanpur (Cawnpore), Lucknow, Meerut, and Varanasi (Benares). It is the administrat ...
), looking after areas south of the
Ganges river
The Ganges ( ) (in India: Ganga ( ); in Bangladesh: Padma ( )). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international river to which India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China are the riparian states." is ...
.
Air Chief Marshal
Air chief marshal (Air Chf Mshl or ACM) is a high-ranking air officer originating from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many countries that have historical British influence. An air chief marshal is equivalent to an Admir ...
Pratap Chandra Lal
Air Chief Marshal Pratap Chandra Lal, DFC (6 December 1916 – 13 August 1982) was the Chief of Air Staff (CAS) of the Indian Air Force during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971. He served in the IAF from 1939 until his retirement in 1973. He ...
formed an advance HQ at Fort William after consultation with Major General Jacob to coordinate operations with the army before the start of the war.
Western Sector:
*
No. 7 Squadron IAF (''Battle Axes''):
Hawker Hunter
The Hawker Hunter is a transonic British jet-powered fighter aircraft that was developed by Hawker Aircraft for the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It was designed to take advantage of the newly developed Rolls-R ...
F. MK 56 and 2 F. MK 1 -
Bagdogra
Bagdogra is a settlement in the Naxalbari CD block in the Siliguri subdivision of the Darjeeling district, in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is a part of the Greater Siliguri Metropolitan Area. The Bagdogra is well connected by air to six ...
(WC Ceolho, then WC Suri). The squadron was moved Chamb after 12 December.
*
No. 14 Squadron IAF
No. 14 Squadron (Bulls), is a ground attack unit, operating out of AFS Ambala. The squadron currently operates SEPECAT Jaguar IS and IBs, operational since March 1981.
History
Hunters of No. 14 Squadron battled with Sabres of the PAF in the I ...
(''Bulls''): Hawker Hunter F. MK 56 - Kalaikudda (WC Sundersan) - Fighter
*
No. 16 Squadron IAF (''Rattlers''):
Canberra
Canberra ( )
is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The ci ...
- Kalaikudda - (WC Gautum) - Bomber
*
No. 22 Squadron IAF
No. 22 Squadron (''Swifts'') was a Close Air Support, CAS unit based out of Hasimara AFS. Along with No. 222 Squadron IAF Tiger Sharks, No. 22 Squadron forms a part of the 16 Wing of the IAF. The squadron operated MiG-27 till December 2017 and ...
(''Swifts''):
Folland Gnat
The Folland Gnat is a British compact swept-wing subsonic fighter aircraft that was developed and produced by Folland Aircraft. Envisioned as an affordable light fighter in contrast to the rising cost and size of typical combat aircraft, it wa ...
MK 1
Dum Dum
Dum Dum is a city and a municipality of Kolkata district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is a part of Kolkata urban area and also a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA).
Etymology
During the 19th ...
, then Kalaikudda, then Calcutta (WC Sikand)
*
No. 30 Squadron IAF
No. 30 Squadron (Rhinos) is a fighter squadron and is equipped with Su-30MKI and based at Lohegaon Air Force Station as part of South Western Air Command.
It was the Presidential standards on 10 November 2016.
Assignments
* Indo-Pakistani Wa ...
(''Charging Rhinos''):
Mig 21
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 (russian: Микоян и Гуревич МиГ-21; NATO reporting name: Fishbed) is a supersonic jet fighter and interceptor aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. Its nickna ...
FL - Kalaikudda (WC Chudda) - Interceptor
*
No. 221 Squadron IAF
No. 221 Squadron (Valiants) is an Indian Air Force fighter squadron and is equipped with Su-30MKI and based at Halwara Air Force Station.
History
The squadron was established as an offensive fighter squadron on 14 February 1963 at Barrackpore. ...
(''Valiants''):
Su-7 BMK -
Panagarh
Panagarh is a small town in the Paschim Bardhaman district of West Bengal, India.
Geography
Location
Panagarh is located at . It has an average elevation of .
Urbanisation
According to the 2011 census, 79.22% of the population of the Durg ...
(WC Sridharan) – Fighter/Bomber
*
No. 104 Helicopter Squadron, IAF
No. 104 Helicopter Squadron (Pioneer Rotarians) is a fighter squadron and is equipped with Mil Mi-35 and based at Suratgarh Air Force Station.
History
The acquisition of Sikorsky S-55 in 1954 heralded the creation of the first Helicopter Flight ...
(Alluitte 3) and (Mi-4) Helicopter
North East and North Western Sector:
AOC-in-C:
Air Vice Marshal Devasher HQ: Shillong
*
No. 4 Squadron IAF
No. 4 Squadron IAF (Oorials) is a fighter squadron of the Indian Air Force (IAF) equipped with the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21, MiG-21 Bison, based at Uttarlai Air Force Station in Uttarlai in Barmer, Rajasthan, India. Since its establishment during ...
(''Oorials''):
Mig 21
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 (russian: Микоян и Гуревич МиГ-21; NATO reporting name: Fishbed) is a supersonic jet fighter and interceptor aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. Its nickna ...
FL -
Gauhati
Guwahati (, ; formerly rendered Gauhati, ) is the biggest city of the Indian state of Assam and also the largest metropolis in northeastern India. Dispur, the capital of Assam, is in the circuit city region located within Guwahati and is the ...
(Wing Commander JV Gole)
*
No. 15 Squadron IAF (''Flying Lancers''): Folland Gnat - Gauhati then
Agortala (WC Singh)
*
No. 17 Squadron IAF
No. 17 Squadron (Golden Arrows) is a squadron of the Indian Air Force stationed at the Ambala Air Force Station as part of the Western Air Command. The squadron was number-plated in 2016, but was resurrected in Ambala on 11 September 2019 wit ...
(''Golden Arrows''): Hawker Hunter F MK 56 -
Hashimara
Hasimara is a town in Alipurduar district of West Bengal state, India near the border with Bhutan. It is located at 26° 45' N latitude and 89° 21' E longitude at an altitude of 109 metres above sea level and has a population of about 40,000 (20 ...
(WC Chatrath)
*
No. 37 Squadron IAF
No. 37 Squadron (Black Panthers) is a fighter squadron and was equipped with MiG-21, MiG-21 M and based at Jodhpur Air Force Station.
History
During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, this Squadron was based at Chabua, when hostilities broke out. ...
(''Black Panthers''): Hawker Hunter F MK 10 - Hashimara (WC Kaul)
*
No. 24 Squadron IAF
No. 24 Squadron (Hawks) IAF is an Air Defence squadron of the Indian Air Force, operating from Bareilly AFS.
History
The squadron was raised at AFS Chabua on 16 February 1962 as an Air Defence and Reconnaissance unit.
Indo-China War of 1962
D ...
(''Hunting Hawks''): Folland Gnat
Gauhati
Guwahati (, ; formerly rendered Gauhati, ) is the biggest city of the Indian state of Assam and also the largest metropolis in northeastern India. Dispur, the capital of Assam, is in the circuit city region located within Guwahati and is the ...
(WC Bhadwar)
*
No. 28 Squadron IAF
No. 28 Squadron, Indian Air Force, nicknamed ''The First Supersonics'' is a squadron of the Indian Air Force (IAF). It is currently based in Adampur, Punjab with the Western Air Command and flies Mikoyan MiG-29s.
History
The squadron's role is ...
(''First Supersonics''): Mig 21FL Gauhati (WC Bishnu)
*
No. 105 Helicopter Unit, IAF (Mi-4) and
No. 121 Helicopter Flight, IAF (Alouette III) - Agartala
Bangladesh Air Force
The Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) ( bn, বাংলাদেশ বিমান বাহিনী, Bangladesh Biman Bahini) is the aerial warfare branch of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. The Air Force is primarily responsible for air defence of ...
: ''Kilo Flight''
CO:
Flight Lieutenant
Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in air forces that use the Royal Air Force (RAF) system of ranks, especially in Commonwealth countries. It has a NATO rank code of OF-2. Flight lieutenant is abbreviated as Flt Lt in the India ...
Sultan Mahmud HQ:
Dimapur
Dimapur () is the largest city in the Indian state of Nagaland. As of 2011, the municipality had a population of 122,834. The city is the main gateway and commercial centre of Nagaland. Located near the border with Assam along the banks of the ...
,
Nagaland
Nagaland () is a landlocked state in the northeastern region of India. It is bordered by the Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh to the north, Assam to the west, Manipur to the south and the Sagaing Region of Myanmar to the east. Its capital cit ...
, then
Agartala
Agartala () is the capital city of the Indian state of Tripura, and is one of the largest cities in northeast India. The city is governed by the Agartala Municipal Corporation. The city is the seat of the Government of Tripura. It is located on ...
This unit was formed by Bengali pilots and technicians defecting from the
Pakistan Air Force
, "Be it deserts or seas; all lie under our wings" (traditional)
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = ...
. Flying light aircraft donated by India, they launched attacks on depots and communication lines on 2 December 1971, before the start of the war. The unit relocated to Agartala and then Shamshernagar after 3 December 1971.
See also
*
Pakistan Army order of battle, December 1971
On 25 March 1971, the Pakistani military, supported by paramilitary units, launched the military operation to pacify the insurgent-held areas of East Pakistan, which led to a prolonged conflict with the Bengali Mukti Bahini. Although conventio ...
*
Evolution of Pakistan Eastern Command plan
The Eastern Command of the Pakistan Army was a corps-sized military formation headed by a lieutenant-general, who was designated the Eastern Command Commander. After the partition of India by United Kingdom, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan was ...
*
Military plans of the Bangladesh Liberation War
Prior to Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, India had no plans for large scale military action in East Pakistan. Since the Sino-Indian War of 1962, the primary objective of the Indian Army Eastern Command was the defence of the Indian northern and ...
*
Timeline of the Bangladesh Liberation War
The Bangladesh Liberation War started on 26 March 1971 and ended on 16 December 1971. Some of the major events of the war are listed in the timeline below.
Timeline
Interactive Timeline of the Bangladesh Liberation War
Before the war
*1 March ...
*
Indo-Pakistani wars and conflicts
Since the Partition of British India in 1947 and subsequent creation of the dominions of India and Pakistan, the two countries have been involved in a number of wars, conflicts, and military standoffs. A long-running dispute over Kashmir and ...
References
Sources
*
*
*
*{{cite book , title = A Tale of Millions , year = 2006 , author = Islam, Major Rafiqul , publisher = Ananna , isbn = 984-412-033-0
Bangladesh Liberation War