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 Navy
week is annually celebrated around 4th December, to commemorate
the day the Indian Navy's three Osa class missile boats nicknamed
'The Killers' struck Karachi in the opening bell of that war
and sank two warships PNS Khaibar and Muhafiz and one merchant
vessel with Styx missiles. The story of how Mrs Gandhi steered
events just before and during the 1971 war at a time when
President Richard Nixon was deeply embroiled in the Watergate
scandal and sided with Pakistan is a story of leadership and
resolve. USA tilted to Pakistan and despite sanctions, USA
continued to supply arms to Pakistan. Under military rule,
Pakistan unleashed a wave of repression, murder, torture and
rape against its peoples in East Pakistan
Throughout 1971 India's suffered the plight of receiving millions
of Bengali refugees from East Pakistan and in the fourteen
day war that followed Nixon and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger
sided with Pakistan against India. USA had its reasons, as
Nixon was beholden to Pakistan for opening Kissinger's links
with China and Nixon thought disparagingly of Mrs Gandhi for
signing a treaty of Peace and Friendship with the Soviet Union,
which included military support for India. Nixon even called
Mrs Gandhi terrible names, now bared in the White House tapes.
Mrs
Gandhi tried her best to avoid a war and made a last ditch
attempt to visit and ask Western leaders to make Pakistan
vacate East Pakistan and get Mujibur Rehman released from
detention as he had received a democratic mandate to form
an independent government, which was to become Bangla Desh.
On 31st Oct, in London Mrs. Indira Gandhi emphasised, "We
do not want the destruction of Pakistan or the destruction
of her integrity. At the same time we do not want our freedom
or our interests to be threatened, and we are determined to
protect them (East Pakistanis) with all our strength."
From
London Mrs. Gandhi flew to Washington on 4th Nov for talks
with President Nixon. After their meeting, the White House
announced that President Nixon supported the withdrawal of
troops from the frontiers by both sides. Speaking at dinner
at the White House Mrs. Gandhi referred to the magnitude of
the refugee problem, "Imagine the entire population of
Michigan State suddenly converging on New York State, and
imagine the strain it would cause on the Administration and
on services such as health and communications and on resources
like food and money-this, not in conditions of affluence,
but in a country already battling with problems of poverty
and huge population. From those who value democratic principles
we expect understanding and, may I add, a certain measure
of support". No support was forthcoming.
Mrs.
Gandhi proceeded to Paris and from 7th to 10th Nov, held talks
with President Pompidou and the French Premier, M. Chaban-Delmas
where she was more forthright. She also received M. Andre
Malraux, the novelist and former Minister of Cultural Affairs,
who had volunteered on 17th Sept to serve with the Mukti Bahini.
On 8th Nov on TV Mrs. Gandhi said that she was prepared to
meet President Yahya Khan to discuss all the problems between
India and Pakistan, but that East Bengal was an entity. She
said, "It is perhaps inevitable today that Bangladesh
should become independent", and added, "but I do
not think that East Bengal would wish to be associated with
West Bengal, as the latter is industrialized and would be
the dominant partner." Her stand on a Bangla Desh was
resolute.
In
Bonn from 10th to 13th Nov, Mrs Gandhi had talks with the
West German Chancellor Herr Brandt, who hoped that it would
be possible to avoid a military confrontation, and said that
the Federal Government was, "ready to support, to the
best of its ability, all measures which would help in promoting
a political solution of the problem", and was convinced
that "a political solution of the problem of East Pakistan
must be found". Brandt supported a Bangla Desh and announced
a further contribution of DM 50,000,000 towards the relief
of the refugees.
Mrs.
Gandhi when questioned about Mukhti Bahini on 12th Nov said
the Indian Government had to give the Mukti Bahini a "minimum
of aid" because "India was unable to prevent them
from using Indian territory for recruitment and training,
as the frontier was too long for effective control."
This showed her sagacity in accepting that Mukti Bahini was
operating from India. It was the fulcrum that assisted and
navigated the Indian Army units to Dacca, across riverine
territory in the 14 day victorious war, which led to the surrender
of 95,000 strong Pakistan Army under Gen AAK Naizi and the
formation of Bangla Desh.
After
returning to India on 13th Nov, a disappointed Mrs. Gandhi
in identical statements to both Houses of Parliament on 15th
Nov said that she thought that international opinion had shifted
from a "tragic indifference" to a growing sense
of the urgency of seeking a political solution of the of the
Bangladesh issue with the elected leaders there. A Bangla
Government in waiting was poised and operating in India.
Around
this time Mrs Gandhi took the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Gen
Sam Manekshaw and the other two Chiefs in to confidence, to
be prepared for war around 4th December or earlier, if provoked.
She was assured by the Chiefs they would be ready. CNS Admiral
SM Nanda cleared with Mrs Gandhi that he had planned to attack
Karachi and presented naval war plans to Defence Minister
Jagjivan Ram. Vice Admiral SN Kohli presented the Navy's plans
to attack Karachi by towing the newly inducted Osa class missile
boats and letting them loose like a pack of wolves off Karachi.
Mrs Gandhi was plotting to see how she could provoke Pakistan
to attack, so that India could respond. She achieved it.
The
official Indian papers have not been released but it evidently
a blind eye was kept over the Indian Air Force shooting down
of PAF Sabre Jet planes on 23rd November to test waters along
the border near the Boyra area, North East of Calcutta. The
D-date 4th December appears to have been leaked to Pakistan
at an appropriate time. In Pakistan's History of the Navy.
it is recorded that this input provoked Yahya Khan to preemptively
attack Indian Air Force airfields on 3rd December evening
and address the nation. Mrs Gandhi was ready and made a brilliant
midnight speech rallying the nation and telling the nation
Pakistan was the aggressor.
On the naval front Nixon wanted to send a naval force to the
Bay Of Bengal and behind CNO Admiral Elmo Zumwalt's back,
who wanted clear cut aims. Nixon asked Chairman Joint Chiefs
of Staff Admiral Tom Moorer, around 9th Dec to secretly sail
Naval Task Force 74 consisting of aircraft carrier USS Enterprise,
Decateur and Parsons through the Malacca Straits in darkness
in to the Bay to the Bengal with sketchy orders and no rules
of engagement (ROEs). In his book Zumwalt calls the foray
against his advice as, 'Sending ships in to Harm's Way'. Fortunately
for India, Yeoman Charles Ratford on the staff of the National
Security Council in DC leaked this to his media friend Jack
Anderson, since Ratford had served in the US Embassy in New
Delhi, and had met Anderson when he came to India, and held
a soft spot for India.
The
Indian Navy under Admiral S M Nanda was fore warned around
10th Dec, and the US Task force achieved nothing. Nanda when
asked by Mrs Gandhi about the US Fleet, assured her he had
issued orders that should Indian Naval Ships meet up with
the US Task Force, his Commanding Officers were to take 'no
panga (altercation)' and invite USN Captains on board for
drinks, as US warships are dry. The US Task Force did not
interfere in the war and finally turned away to Sri Lanka.
Soviets also announced sending task force to the area.
It
is all in Zumwalt's book 'On Watch', Kissinger's 'White House
Years' and Nixon's memoirs and the recently released classified
papers that reiterate USA's machinations to support Pakistan
and the role played by Task Force-74 reveal no new facts.
Nixon was only hopeful the US Naval Task Force would dissuade
India from precipitating a war and dismembering Pakistan,
but Mrs Gandhi had never planned to take on a long and full
war in West Pakistan and her aim was to establish Bangla Desh.
She achieved it.
In
this author's book the tribute to Mrs Gandhi reads, "She
was Prime Minister during the Indo-Pak War. Her pivotal role
is comparable to that of the legendary Winston Churchill in
World War II. She was clear in her mind about the objective
of the armed forces. It was "to help liberate Bangla
Desh at any cost, hold West Pakistan at bay and, if possible,
give it a telling blow, to ensure that it never seeks war
again". These objectives she set out after failing to
get a diplomatic settlement for the refugee problem. Her attention
to the morning briefings by General Manekshaw and her approval
of action for the day, in concert with Defence Minister Jagjivan
Ram, were the highlight of the time which enabled the Services
to succeed. She was honoured with the highest national award,
the Bharat Ratna".
(
Cmde Retd Ranjit B Rai is the author of A NATION AND ITS NAVY
AT WAR ( Lancers 1987)
C
443 Defence Colony ND 24 9810066172 24330087
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