Battle of Longewala: When 120 Indians made 2,000 Pakistanis flee in fear

Time of India

11-05-2025

On the cold desert night of 4 December 1971, while most of the country slept, a tiny
Indian Army
post in Rajasthan's Thar Desert was preparing for a deadly fight. This was the
Battle of Longewala
, one of the most heroic moments in Indian military history. At the time, the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 had begun. India's main focus was on the eastern front, where the goal was to support the creation of Bangladesh. The western front, where Longewala is located, was expected to remain quiet.
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Undo
Pakistani President Yahya Khan followed the key strategy of 'the defence of East Pakistan lies in the West". He knew East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) couldn't be defended for long, so he decided to attack western India and capture territory to use as a bargaining chip during peace talks.
While most eyes were on the east, just 120 Indian soldiers from the 23rd Battalion of the Punjab Regiment were guarding the Longewala post. They were led by Major Kuldip Singh Chandpuri. The post was surrounded by sand dunes and had very little backup.
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Then came news of a massive Pakistani force, over 2,000 soldiers with 40 tanks and heavy artillery, heading their way. Chandpuri was given a choice: retreat to Ramgarh or stay and fight. He chose to stand his ground.
As the enemy tanks rumbled through the desert, an Indian patrol heard the noise. There was no time to waste. The soldiers quickly laid a fake anti-tank minefield and took up their positions.
At around 12:30 a.m.,
Pakistani tanks
opened fire. The sky lit up with explosions. But the Indian soldiers didn't panic. They waited until the tanks were very close, just 15 to 30 metres away, then fired back with recoilless rifles and shoulder-launched anti-tank weapons. Two tanks were destroyed immediately. Many others got stuck in the soft desert sand.
The Pakistani soldiers saw barbed wire and assumed there were landmines ahead. They stopped and waited nearly two hours to send engineers only to find it was a trick. That delay gave the Indian side precious time to prepare and strategise.
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With no proper maps and little knowledge of the desert terrain, many Pakistani tanks got trapped. The Indian post sat on a small hill, giving them a clear view and a major advantage. To make things worse for Pakistan, it was a full moon night. When their fuel tanks caught fire, the battlefield lit up, making it even easier for Indian troops to aim.
The Indian soldiers were brave, but they couldn't hold on forever. At dawn, help finally arrived, from the sky.
Indian Air Force
jets, Hawker Hunters and HAL Maruts, flew in. Since Pakistan had no air cover, the jets faced no resistance.
A brave air controller flying a small aircraft guided the attack. The jets fired rockets and machine guns at the enemy tanks and trucks. The desert turned into a nightmare for the Pakistani army. IAF pilots later described it as a 'turkey shoot' -- the enemy had no chance.
By the end of the six-hour battle, Pakistan had lost 36 tanks, over 100 vehicles, and many soldiers. The Indian side had minimal losses.
Reinforcements soon arrived, and the remaining Pakistani soldiers fled, leaving behind burnt tanks and shattered trucks.