Latest news with #TashkentAgreement
India.com
9 hours ago
- Politics
- India.com
A Timeless Ally: How Russia Steadfastly Backed India Through Every Crisis
New Delhi: India and Russia share a friendship that stretches back decades, a bond often highlighted around the world. From Bollywood films to defense collaborations, the connection shows up in many places. Since India's independence, Russia has stood by India during its toughest times. When the United States or Great Britain opposed New Delhi, Moscow was a steadfast ally. In 1966, the Tashkent Agreement brought peace after conflict. Russia supported India through the wars of 1971 and 1999, standing shoulder to shoulder with the nation. On August 9, 1971, India and the Soviet Union signed the Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation. This pact was valid for 20 years and laid the foundation for closer ties. In April 2025, a terrorist attack in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir at Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam claimed 26 lives. India launched Operation Sindoor against Pakistan-backed terrorists in response. Pakistan escalated support for militants but faced heavy losses. India's use of powerful BrahMos cruise missiles against Pakistan was made possible through Russian collaboration. Indian defenses destroyed missiles fired by Pakistan before they could enter Indian airspace, thanks to the S-400 missile defense system bought from Russia. Russia has recently offered India joint production of the fifth-generation stealth fighter Su-57E with full technology transfer, a deal that could strengthen the Indian Air Force. During the 1971 war between India and Pakistan, which led to the creation of Bangladesh, the United States and Britain sent warships to the Bay of Bengal to support Pakistan. When Russia learned of this, it deployed its naval ships to the same area, effectively blocking American and British forces. This strong stance forced those countries to retreat. The war ended with Pakistan's surrender of 93,000 soldiers to India, marking a pivotal moment in South Asian history. In the 1970s, Western countries imposed sanctions on India's nuclear energy programme. Russia stepped in to support India, providing crucial technology and fuel for nuclear reactors. The Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant stands as an example of this cooperation. Russia also signed multiple agreements with India for the peaceful use of nuclear energy, including building additional reactors and supplying low-enriched uranium fuel. In the 1962 war with China, Moscow supported New Delhi by supplying weapons and military equipment. Though it did not intervene directly, it halted arms sales to China and eased pressure on India. After the conflict, Russia played a key role in mediating the Tashkent Agreement, helping restore diplomatic ties between India and China. Russia's help also extends to space. India's first satellite, Aryabhata, was developed with Soviet assistance and launched in 1975. The satellite's name honours the famous Indian astronomer Aryabhata. Russia's cultural influence touches Indian cinema. The iconic song from Raj Kapoor's film Awaara mentions a 'red cap from Russia'. Known as the budyonovka, this symbol represents the Russian Revolution of 1917. Prime Minister Narendra Modi referenced this historic 'red cap friendship' during his 2024 visit to Russia. The cap symbolises a revolution that changed the course of Russian and world history. India and Russia have shared many challenges and triumphs. Their partnership has endured wars, sanctions and shifting global dynamics. Today, that bond continues to evolve, promising new chapters in this longstanding friendship.
India Today
31-07-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Why India returned Haji Pir Pass to Pakistan after capturing it in 1965
"In the 1965 India-Pakistan War, our forces had recaptured the Haji Pir Pass from Pakistan, but the Congress later returned it," PM Narendra Modi said in the Lok Sabha this week. In his two-hour-long speech, Prime Minister Modi launched a scathing attack on the Congress leadership, which had been trying to corner the government over the alleged lack of political will and operational freedom to the armed forces during Operation Sindoor. Hitting back at the Congress, Modi reminded it of the return of the Haji Pir Pass to Pakistan, along with other alleged blunders, including the release of 90,000 Pakistani soldiers after the 1971 War, to target the Grand Old the 1965 India-Pakistan war, India captured the strategically important Haji Pir Pass and the entire Haji Pir bulge from Pakistan after a daring military just months later, it was returned to Pakistan under the Tashkent Agreement, which sparked long-standing criticism of the decision, including from some men in uniform involved in claiming the pass. "The [Haji Pir] Pass would have given India a definite strategic advantage. It was a mistake to hand it back. Our people don't read maps," Lieutenant General Ranjit Singh Dayal (retired), the hero of the Battle for Haji Pir (then a Major), said in a 2002 INDIA CAPTURED THE HAJI PIR PASS IN 1965The Haji Pir Pass, located at 2,637 metres in the Pir Panjal range, has been a key land route and was a major infiltration route even during the 1947 mujahideen 1965, Pakistan, under its Operation Gibraltar, aimed at inciting rebellion in Kashmir, pushed in infiltrators into the August 15, 1965, Indian forces crossed the Ceasefire Line to counter Pakistani shelling and infiltration. The operation, codenamed Bakshi, involved a pincer movement by the 19th Infantry Division, with 1 Para, led by Major Ranjit Singh Indian Army captured Sank by August 27 after a nightlong trek by soldiers in heavy 10.30 AM on August 28, Dayal's team outflanked the Pakistani defenders, and secured the Haji Pir pass. The victory shortened the Poonch-Uri route from 282 km to 56 km, and enhanced India's logistical pass, when under Indian control, also had the potential to seal the natural gap used by infiltrators for future incursions, but the control was short-lived.1965, - , ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) September 22, 2017INDIA RELINQUISHED HAJI PIR PASS, RETURNED MORE TERRITORYThe Tashkent Declaration, signed on January 10, 1966, and mediated by the USSR, ended the 1965 mandated both India and Pakistan to withdraw from their pre-August 5, 1965, positions by February 25, under the terms of the Tashkent Agreement, relinquished the Haji Pir Pass and 1,920 square kilometres of captured territory, while Pakistan returned 550 sq km, including Chhamb, according to reports."The both sides will exert all efforts to create good neighbourly relations between India and Pakistan in accordance with the United Nations Charter. They reaffirm their obligation under the Charter not to have recourse to force and to settle their disputes through peaceful means. They considered that the interests of peace in their region and particularly in the Indo-Pakistan Sub-Continent and, indeed, the interests of the peoples of India and Pakistan were not served by the continuance of tension between the two countries. It was against this background that Jammu and Kashmir was discussed, and each of the sides set forth its respective position," said the Tashkent, without naming the Haji Pir agreement aimed to restore peace but lacked a no-war pact or measures against guerrilla warfare, which is fueling criticism in India to this RETURN OF HAJI PIR ROOTED IN STRATEGIC CALCULATIONSIndia's decision to return to Haji Pir was driven by the need to secure Pakistani withdrawal from Chhamb, near the Akhnoor bridge, a critical supply negotiations commenced in January 1966 between India and Pakistan under the aegis of the Soviet Union, India had to view the threat posed by Pakistani dagger into the Indian heart in the Chhamb Sector. Since Pakistani forces had already reached Fatwal ridge only four kilometres from Akhnoor, they could always resume operations for capture of Akhnoor," Major General Sheru Thapliyal (retired) noted in his 2015 piece in the Strategic Study India Chhamb sector, a flat, open terrain west of the Munnawar Tawi River, is also a critical defensive outpost for India. Its proximity to the Akhnoor bridge, roughly 20 km away, makes it vital for securing the only all-weather road linking Jammu to Poonch and the Kashmir Kuldip Nayar, part of PM Shastri's entourage, claimed Soviet pressure and threats to withhold UN veto support on Kashmir influenced the decision of the prime minister, who died the next day in suspicious including Lieutenant General Dayal (retired), argued that retaining Haji Pir would have curtailed infiltration, which continues through the pass today."If we had retained the post, things could have been different," Lieutenant General DB Shekatkar (retired) told Rediff India News in return, seen as a strategic blunder, has been criticised by experts and stakeholders who noted it enabled ongoing Pakistani infiltration and undermined India's long-term security in exactly what PM Modi pointed out, reminding the Congress of the realpolitik and strategic give-and-take that played out back then, and possibly continues to do so even today.- Ends
The Hindu
29-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Letters to The Editor — May 30, 2025
Manipur situation The intent by some in the National Democratic Alliance 'to form a 'popular' government in Manipur' is strange (Page 1, May 29). That these people are unaware of the ground reality is cause for concern. The consensus of all stakeholders and a proper settlement of the ethnic conflict is what will pave the way for a conducive environment. One expects the government of the day to engage with the warring factions and find a lasting solution to the crisis. Prabhu Raj R., Bengaluru MP's line Congress Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor has done a good job of turning the defence of India's position vis-à-vis Pakistan into an unqualified eulogisation of the top leader in the course of India's diplomatic outreach (Inside pages, 'Shashi Tharoor faces flak from his own party for remarks on LoC breach', May 29). Reading between the lines, one can say with certainty that the MP awards more marks to the government of the day than previous Congress governments in dealing with Pakistan. For all his scholarship, sophistication, sensitivity and sensibility, are his words laced with the belligerence typical of right-wing hardliners? Is there a desperation to demonstrate that he wears his patriotism on his sleeves? A poet dreamt that he was a butterfly and was left to wonder which way he was dreaming. The MP seems to share the poet's predicament. G. David Milton, Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu Had the erudite leader remembered the India-Pakistan war of 1965, he would have known that the Indian Army had not only crossed the ceasefire line but also captured the entire Haji Pir bulge in the Battle of Haji Pir Pass. It marked a turning point in the conflict and held until vacated under the Tashkent Agreement. Not recognising such significant military achievements would be more than unfair to the valour and the sacrifices of India's armed forces. S.K. Choudhury, Bengaluru The MP's statements have sparked understandable outrage within his own party. While political maturity involves acknowledging national achievements beyond party lines, it is troubling when such statements blur ideological boundaries and confuse people. By appearing to align with the ruling party's narrative, the MP risks weakening the Opposition's position and inadvertently bolstering the BJP's propaganda. It is essential for Opposition leaders to maintain clarity, consistency, and an accountability to the values their party stands for. Rukma Sharma Jalandhar, Punjab Digital literacy Digital literacy in rural India is essential. Many lack Internet access and basic digital skills. Governments and schools must provide the necessary infrastructure and training. Bridging this divide ensures equal opportunities for education, jobs, and growth. As a student, I believe it is time to act. Buvan Doolla, Mumbai Inadequate Torrential rainfall following the early onset of the southwest monsoon has undoubtedly exposed the creaky drainage infrastructure of Indian cities. There is no doubt that several of India's metropolitan cities do not have well-equipped drainage systems to deal with the recent changes in weather patterns. With weather vagaries becoming the new normal, cities have to invest more to revamp their drainage systems to avoid the flooding that affects livelihoods and causes damage. M. Jeyaram, Sholavandan, Tamil Nadu
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Business Standard
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
Sanjeev Chopra's book details Shastri's many contributions to nation, party
The 1965 war, Pakistan's second attempt to seize Kashmir, ended in Tashkent with Lal Bahadur Shastri returning the Haji Pir Pass - a gesture that disappointed even his family Listen to This Article The Great Conciliator: Lal Bahadur Shastri and the Transformation of India by Sanjeev Chopra Bloomsbury 370 pages ₹899 India's stated policy is that there can be no international intervention to resolve the Kashmir issue — that it can only be done bilaterally. Variations on this theme range from total rejection of any international intervention to tentative acceptance of technical assistance. But the reality is that in past wars (including near-wars/skirmishes/standoffs) with Pakistan, pressure, even direct intervention, from foreign powers has contributed significantly to ending them. The most manifest evidence of this was the 1965 war that concluded with the Soviet Union-brokered Tashkent Agreement
Hindustan Times
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
‘Poonch's geographical location makes it vulnerable to Pakistan shelling'
A day after surviving intense Pakistan shelling, 68-year-old Pradeep Khanna, a retired education department official, says it is the geographical location of Poonch, close to the Line of Control (LoC) that makes it vulnerable to Pakistan shelling. Khanna is uniquely placed to delve into the details of Poonch, having lives through two India-Pakistan wars (1965 and 1971) while being in this town. He adds the situation worsened further after the Tashkent Agreement of 1966, when India gave away the Hajipir Pass to Pakistan. The district across 1,674 sqkm has a population of nearly five lakh. 'Poonch city alone has over one lakh population and has Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs in almost equal proportion. However, Muslims remain a majority in the district,' says Khanna. In 1965 war, India had captured Hajipir Pass, Hazira, Bagh and other areas, which were later given back to Pakistan under Tashkent Agreement. 'Poonch is actually a bowl shaped valley and Pakistan sits on dominating positions adjoining Ajote, Digwar, Digwar Terwal, Digwar Maldlyal, Malti, Gulpur and Guntrian areas. Betar Nullah (rivulet) divides us here. Chirikot post of Pakistan is just atop Poonch town. In Mandi, Pakistan has Kopra post on a dominating position. Similarly, in Jhallas, Pakistan sits on a higher ground,' says Khanna. 'They are visible to us and we are to them but they are on higher ground and we cant harm them,' he adds. Former GOC of the Srinagar-based15 Corps, also called Chinar Corps, Lt Gen KJS Dhillon said Poonch, south of Pir Panjal range, has an important strategic and historical value. 'Poonch sits at the mouth of Hajipir Pass from Jammu region, i.e., western side and the other end is Uri from Kashmir side. Since Poonch is strategically located, there is a very strong presence of Indian military,' he says. The former general says, 'Pakistan tries retaliate but can't hit Indian army because then it will be initiation of war. Therefore, it has been hitting innocent civilians and their properties. It is as good as they killed innocent civilians in Pahalgam and now killing innocent civilians on LoC.' He admitted that there were certain areas in Poonch where Pakistan has dominating positions along the LoC. 'We also have lot of dominating heights on the LoC where if we start hitting their civilians, it will hurt them badly. But we are an ethical army and never fire on civilians. Pakistan knows that since Indian Army is not going to retaliate by firing on their civilians, they are targeting our civilians and trying to incite us to hit their civilians or military installations, which we have not done during Operation Sindoor,' he says. Being strategically located, Poonch district has four brigades—Poonch, BG, KG and a RR-- to check any aggression by Pakistan. According to Lieutenant General (retired) Rakesh Sharma, who served five stints in Jammu and Kashmir, Poonch town's proximity to the LoC makes it vulnerable to cross-border shelling and artillery fire. He also pointed out the strategic importance the Hajipir Pass, a mountain route currently located in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) could have served at this time, had to not been handed over to Pakistan by erstwhile government, terming the move a 'blunder'. The Hajipir Pass connects Uri with Poonch, south of Pir Panjal range. India gave the pass to Pakistan following Tashkent Declaration in January 1966. India had captured it during the 1965 India-Pakistan war.
