EXTERNAL CONFLICT: INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS
Indira Gandhi was regarded
as an “iron lady” in 1971 when she went to war with Pakistan. It was a
controversial move where even the United States was intimidating her to not get involved with Pakistan. Gandhi won this war with Pakistan and Bangladesh
(previously East Pakistan) was created
“During the 1970s India as a nation was barely twenty years
old and faced numerous problems. The refugee problem neighboring West Pakistan
was a priority, but India could not act because it would appear as interfering
in Pakistan's internal political affairs. Indira sought to build an
international consensus, only to be shunned by Great Britain (former ruler) and
the U.S.A. So Indira went to war with neighboring Pakistan, won, and created a
new nation of Bangladesh. This courageous leadership made Indira very popular
domestically, and her willingness to take on America brought India closer
to the U.S.S.R., the cold-war rival.”
-kamat.com
-kamat.com
“Under Indira Gandhi’s leadership, India provided shelter, food and
medicines to about 10 million people who in their attempt to escape attacks by
the Pakistani army, fled East Pakistan to flock to the states of West Bengal,
Tripura, Meghalaya and Assam. India extended full support to the Bangladeshi
freedom fighters providing them arms and training facilities. India sent its
troops to fight against the Pakistani forces under a Joint Command with
Bangladesh”
-businessandeconomy.org
-businessandeconomy.org
"[The Simla] agreement on Bilateral Relations between India and Pakistan was signed after the 1971 India-Pakistan War, in which Pakistan was defeated conclusively and which resulted in the creation of Bangladesh. India refrained from attacking or finishing off Pakistan and signed this agreement with the hope that henceforth the countries in the region would be able to live in peace with each other. " -Jammu and Kashmir
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"Gandhi strongly supported East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) in
its secessionist conflict with Pakistan in late 1971, and India’s armed forces
achieved a swift and decisive victory over Pakistan .... She[Indira Gandhi] became the first government leader to recognize the new
country."
- Encyclopædia Britannica
"In many ways, it was the 1971 victory that made Indira Gandhi the icon
that she is today. It was also a time of some hardcore nationalistic diplomacy
during a time when the whole world had turned against India for its decision to
go ahead with the war. The United States had exercised an enormous amount of
pressure to avert India’s attack and even threatened India with dire
consequences. But Indira Gandhi chose to ignore it.” -businessandeconomy.org