At 4 Days, What This The Shortest Conflict Between India And Pakistan?
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Since 1947, India and Pakistan have fought four wars, but this latest conflict was notably brief
Was this the shortest 'war' between India and Pakistan till date? The intense cross-border firing and drone activity between the nuclear-armed neigbours continued for four days, but there were no incidents along the heavily militarized Line of Control on the night of May 11 to 12. On Saturday, both nations agreed to cease all military operations on land, in the air and at sea to avoid further escalation.
Since 1947, India and Pakistan have fought four wars, but this latest conflict was notably brief.
First War Lasted 15 Months
The history of India-Pakistan wars includes four major conflicts and several significant military operations. The first war, known as the Kashmir War, occurred between 1947 and 1948, spanning 15 months. This conflict began in October 1947 and lasted until January 1949, involving Pakistan-backed tribal attackers aiming to seize Kashmir. Maharaja Hari Singh of Kashmir subsequently merged with India, saving half of Kashmir while Pakistan occupied the other half, termed Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). A United Nations-mediated ceasefire ended this war.
Second War Lasted 22 Days
The second war in 1965 lasted for 22 days from August 5 to September 23. Triggered by Pakistan's Operation Gibraltar, it saw India gain a significant advantage before a ceasefire was declared. The Tashkent Agreement in January 1966 restored the pre-war status quo.
Third War Lasted 13 Days
In 1971, the third India-Pakistan war, also known as the Bangladesh Liberation War, lasted 13 days from December 3 to December 16, and resulted in the creation of Bangladesh. This conflict led to a historic defeat for Pakistan, with 93,000 soldiers surrendering. The subsequent Simla Agreement established the Line of Control (LoC), with India returning captured territory to Pakistan.
The Kargil War of 1999 was a prolonged conflict, lasting around 2 months and 20 days. It began in May and ended on July 26, involving the infiltration of Pakistani forces into the Kargil region. India emerged victorious, reclaiming its territory and causing international disgrace for Pakistan, leading to a military coup by General Pervez Musharraf.
Other Major Military Conflicts And Operations
Rann of Kutch Conflict (1965): Border clashes took place in the Kutch region of Gujarat in April 1965, lasting about one to two weeks.
Operation Parakram (2001–2002): Following the Parliament attack on December 13, 2001, Indian and Pakistani forces remained in a tense standoff along the border for 10 months. Though a full-scale war was avoided, it marked one of the longest military deployments between the two nations.
Uri Surgical Strike (2016): In response to the Uri terror attack on September 18, 2016, the Indian Army carried out surgical strikes across the LoC on the night of September 29–30. The operation lasted only a few hours.
Balakot Air Strike (2019): After the Pulwama terror attack on February 14, 2019, the Indian Air Force launched an airstrike on February 26, 2019, hitting terror camps in Balakot. The strike lasted only a few minutes.
The recent four-day conflict was triggered by an attack by Pakistan-backed terrorists on Indian tourists in J&'s Pahalgam on April 22, killing 26 people. Two weeks later, India launched Operation Sindoor and bombed terror bases in Pakistan and PoK. Pakistan responded by unsuccessfully targeting Indian military installation in Jammu and Punjab, followed by missile and drone strikes on civilian areas. India successfully intercepted and fended off the attacks, retaliating by inflicting heavy losses on Pakistan military establishments. Intense shelling on the LoC continued until the ceasefire at 5 pm on May 10.
First Published:
May 12, 2025, 12:25 IST
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