Planning and Impact of Special Operations during the 1971 Indo-Pak War

India had all of two weeks to achieve the politico-military end state of liberating Bangladesh, before the international community intervened to impose a ceasefire. Speed and tempo of operations were imperative.Indian Armed Forces exploited the special operations capabilities to ensure an early fall of Dhaka. The airborne assault at Tangail, the audacious helilift of troops across the mighty Meghna by General Sagat Singh with effective support from the Mukti Bahini contributed to the early fall of Dhaka with most defences still intact. Along the Western front, the 80 km deep raid on Chachro by 10 PARA Commando createda dilemma for the Pakistan Army, tying down frontline troops for defence of installations. The raid on the Gun Position at Mandhol (Poonch) by 9 PARA Commando, demoralised the Pakistani troops and effectively delayed any offensive by the Pakistan army in the Poonch sector.

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