India and the World

The domestic shockwaves in Pakistan following the humiliating defeat lead to Yahya Khan's ouster and Bhutto's assumption of power as a civilian dictator. Bhutto’s ruthlessly purged the military top brass to consolidate control, and releasee Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to clean up his international image. Preliminary dialogues at Muree in preparation of the Shimla Summit remained inconclusive. So...

Pakistan’s desperate, failed preemptive air strikes on December 3, India's multi-pronged invasion of East Pakistan, the naval blockade, the collapse of Pakistan's "fortress defence" strategy, the threat of the US Seventh Fleet, and the historic surrender of 93,000 Pakistani soldiers at the Dhaka Race Course. Includes extracts from Archival speeches by Mrs Indira Gandhi, Gen Yahya Khan and Zulfikar...

As the refugees were pouring into India, the superpowers were engaged in a power play in the subcontinent. Pro-Pakistan tilt of US compelled India to sign a treaty with USSR, which served as a shield against intervention and left India free to deal with Pakistan. Sources - The Blood Telegram - Gary J Bass De-classified US State Department and CIA Documents Confrontation With Pakistan - BM Kaul Off...

In one of the darkest chapters of the subcontinent's history, Pakistan Army unleashed Operation Searchlight - a planned pogrom of terror and violence unleashed on a section of its own population. The people of East Pakistan took refuge in India in millions, and the stage was set for an epic showdown. Sources - Official History of the 1971 India Pakistan War - MoD History Division De-classified...

The collision course set by Pakistan's historic 1970 elections, where a massive democratic verdict was violently rejected by the West Pakistan. A devastating cyclone and cynical political manoeuvring led to the eventual launch of the brutal 'Operation Searchlight'. This episode uncovers how a nation was torn apart by its own leaders. Sources -  Official History of the 1971 India Pakist...

In the first of several episodes covering the 1971 India Pakistan War, we look at the key personalities who shaped the destinies of their respective countries through this conflict. Sources -  A History of the Pakistan Army - Brian Cloughley Official History of the 1971 India Pakistan War - History Division Ministry of Defence The origins of war in South Asia- Indo-Pakistani conflicts - Sumit Gang...

A stalemate at the battle front and a summit in a distant Russian city led to 'Tashkent Declaration'. Was it one step forward, or two steps back? Listen to find out. Sources - Zulfi Bhutto of Pakistan- His Life & Times - Stanley Wolpert Bhutto - a political biography - Salmaan Taseer From Kutch to Tashkent - the Indo Pakistan War of 1965 - Farooq Bajwa The Struggle for Pakistan - Ayesh...

A daring misadventure in the desolate Rann of Kutch emboldened Pakistan to try a similar tactic in the North. This led to the 1965 war. Listen to the mistaken assumptions that Pakistan made and what happened when they turned out to be false. Sources - India-Pakistan in War & Peace - Dixit, J. N_ Pakistan’s Foreign Policy 1947-2019 - Abdul Sattar Genesis of Indo-Pakistan conflict on Kashmir - V...

The subcontinent became a playground for the Cold War rivalry, which further fuelled the conflict between India and Pakistan. With China's wildcard entry, the complexity increased. Sources - https://archive.thedailystar.net/forum/2011/December/revolution.htm   Zulfi Bhutto of Pakistan- His Life & Times - Stanley Wolpert South Asian Insecurity and the Great Powers - Barry Buzan  Explaining...

The first decade after independence saw India and Pakistan set upon divergent paths that defines them who they are as nations even today. India strengthened its institutions and democracy, while Pakistan drifted into political vacuum leading to military dictatorship. In this episode we look at the circumstances, choices and decisions that led to this. Sources - Declassified CIA Documents - https:/...

Declassified documents throw new light on the circumstances and reasons for partition of India. Sources - The Shadow of the Great Game - The Untold Story of India's Partition - Narendra Singh Sarila War and Diplomacy in Kashmir, 1947-48 - C Dasgupta Foreign Relations of the United States, Diplomatic Papers, 1945, The British Commonwealth, The Far East, Volume VI ( https://history.state.gov/his...

In Jan 1948 India approached the UN against Pakistani aggression in Kashmir. Instead of getting a fair adjudication, the issue was complicated. A ceasefire was announced a year later in Jan 1949, though Pakistan still held one third of Kashmir. A deep dive into the politics, intrigue and international stakes behind the events that are still casting their impact today. Sources - War and Diplomacy i...

Dramatic events in the last week of October 1947 changed the history and geopolitics of the subcontinent and gave rise to a conflict that continues to date. Sources - Raiders in Kashmir - Akbar Khan Military Plight Of Pakistan Vol I - M N Gulati The Time and Trial of the Rawalpindi Conspiracy, 1951: The First Coup Attempt in Pakistan - Hasan Zaheer Operation Rescue - Military Operations in Jammu &...

In this series of deep dives into India Pakistan relationship, we start at the beginning - the deep animosity and distrust that started at the time of partition. What were the reasons? Sources used in this episode - India-Pakistan in War & Peace - JN Dixit Shooting for a Century - The India-Pakistan Conundrum - Stephen P. Cohen Genesis of Indo-Pakistan conflict on Kashmir - V. D. Chopra, P.N....