Indus Atlas

Map 26 · Wars

The 1965 war: India and Pakistan, April to September

Region
Pakistan and India, April–September 1965
Data
30 battles, 18 advances and 13 air and sea raids, each with its dates, the attacking side, an independent account and each side’s claim; positions approximate.
Rule
Arrows run from the start line to where each advance stopped; dots are battles coloured by the attacking side, sized minor, medium or major; crossed circles are air and sea raid targets.

In 1965 India and Pakistan fought their second war over Kashmir. It began with clashes in the Rann of Kutch in April, settled by British mediation at the end of June. In August Pakistan sent several thousand irregulars across the ceasefire line in Operation Gibraltar, hoping for an uprising that did not come; India answered by taking the Haji Pir pass. On 1 September Pakistan struck at Chhamb toward Akhnoor, and on 6 September India crossed the international border toward Lahore, then Sialkot a day later. Seventeen days of open war followed, with some of the largest tank battles since the Second World War at Asal Uttar and Chawinda. A UN ceasefire took effect on 23 September. Independent counts put India’s gains at about 1,840 km² of Pakistani-held ground and Pakistan’s at about 540 km² of India’s; both sides claimed victory, and the independent accounts describe a military stalemate. Under the Tashkent Declaration of January 1966 both armies went back to their August lines. Arrows end where each advance stopped; battles are coloured by the side that attacked.

Map: The 1965 war: India and Pakistan, April to September. Seventeen days of open war over Kashmir and Punjab ended in a stalemate: India held about 1,840 km² of Pakistani ground, Pakistan about 540 km² of India’s.

Indus AtlasFree to reuse with credit · CC BY-SA 4.0indusatlas.vercel.app

Hover or tap a battle or raid.

Download PNGFree to reuse with credit. How to credit the atlas

The war in 58 seconds

Every advance, battle and air raid, day by day, ending on the ground each side held. MP4

Kashmir and Chhamb

Operation Gibraltar, Haji Pir and Operation Grand Slam, August to September 1965.
Operation Gibraltar, Haji Pir and Operation Grand Slam, August to September 1965. PNG

Lahore and Kasur

The advance to the BRB canal, Khem Karan and Asal Uttar, 6 to 23 September 1965.
The advance to the BRB canal, Khem Karan and Asal Uttar, 6 to 23 September 1965. PNG

Sialkot and Chawinda

India’s I Corps offensive, Phillora and Chawinda, 7 to 23 September 1965.
India’s I Corps offensive, Phillora and Chawinda, 7 to 23 September 1965. PNG

Who held what at the ceasefire

Ground each side held on 23 September 1965, outlines sized to independent area estimates.
Ground each side held on 23 September 1965, outlines sized to independent area estimates. PNG
IndependentPakistan saysIndia says
Pakistani ground held by India1,840 km²1,155 km²1,865–1,920 km²
Indian ground held by Pakistan540 km²4,190 km²550 km²
Indian soldiers killedabout 3,0009,5002,100–3,300
Pakistani soldiers killedabout 3,8001,033–
Indian aircraft lost60–7510435–59
Pakistani aircraft lostabout 201943–73
Indian tanks lost150–200475128
Pakistani tanks lost200–300165471

Timeline

DateEvent
9 Apr 1965Pakistani attack on Sardar Post opens Rann of Kutch clashes
24 Apr 1965Operation Desert Hawk: Pakistani push on Biar Bet / Point 84
17 May 1965India seizes Kargil heights (Point 13620)
30 Jun 1965Kutch agreement signed; ceasefire 1 July
5 Aug 1965Operation Gibraltar infiltration begins
15 Aug 1965India recaptures Kargil heights and crosses the ceasefire line
28 Aug 1965India captures Haji Pir pass
1 Sep 1965Operation Grand Slam: Pakistani attack on Chhamb; first air combat
6 Sep 1965India attacks across the Punjab border toward Lahore; PAF strikes Pathankot, Adampur, Halwara
7 Sep 1965IAF raids Sargodha; PAF hits Kalaikunda; Pakistan takes Khem Karan; Sialkot offensive begins; Dwarka shelled (night 7/8)
8 Sep 1965Gadra City taken by India; Munabao attacked
10 Sep 1965Battle of Asal Uttar ends with Pakistani armour defeated
11 Sep 1965India takes Burki and Phillora
14 Sep 1965First Indian assault on Chawinda
18 Sep 1965Major Indian assault on Chawinda repulsed
20 Sep 1965UNSC Resolution 211 demands ceasefire within 48 hours
22 Sep 1965India takes Dograi; Pakistan accepts ceasefire
23 Sep 1965Ceasefire takes effect (about 03:30)
10 Jan 1966Tashkent Declaration signed
25 Feb 1966Deadline for withdrawal to pre-5 August 1965 lines

Every battle on the map

BattleDatesAttackerSectorWhat happened
Kanjarkot1 Jan – 9 AprPakistanRann of KutchPakistani Indus Rangers occupied the ruined Kanjarkot fort area and patrolled south of the Indian-claimed line.
Sardar Post / Vigokot9 AprPakistanRann of KutchBrigade-strength Pakistani attack on the Indian CRP post at Sardar, held by Indian police.
Biar Bet24–26 AprPakistanRann of KutchIn Operation Desert Hawk, a Pakistani division-level push with Patton tanks (24 Cav) attacked Biar Bet and Point 84.
Gibraltar, Gulmarg5–20 AugPakistanKashmir (Valley)Columns reported by villagers and broken up; no uprising followed.
Gibraltar, Rajouri5 Aug – 6 SepPakistanKashmir (Poonch-Rajouri)The longest-lasting Gibraltar group, withdrawn after 6 Sep.
Kargil heights15 AugIndiaKashmir (Ladakh)India took the posts over the Srinagar–Leh road; returned at Tashkent.
Tithwal24 Aug – 13 OctIndiaKashmir (Tithwal)Indian moves across the Kishanganga; poorly documented.
Haji Pir Pass26–28 AugIndiaKashmir (Uri-Poonch bulge)India took the pass, and the whole bulge by 10 Sep.
Chhamb1–2 SepPakistanKashmir (Chhamb-Akhnoor)Pakistani armour overran the sector on the first day of Grand Slam.
Jaurian–Kalit3–6 SepPakistanKashmir (Chhamb-Akhnoor)Pakistan reached Jaurian but not Akhnoor, 15 km further on.
Raja Picquet5–6 SepIndiaKashmir (Poonch)Indian attacks on posts during Operation Faulad (place approximate).
Wagah to Dograi6 SepIndiaLahoreIndia reached the BRB canal and was pushed back from Dograi.
Jassar6–8 SepIndiaPunjab (Ravi)India failed to take the Ravi bridge enclave.
Attack on Kasur6–7 SepIndiaKasurThe Indian attack toward Kasur was repulsed.
Hussainiwala6–23 SepPakistanFerozepur / FazilkaPakistani attacks on the Indian bridgehead were held.
Khem Karan7–8 SepPakistanKhem KaranPakistan took the town and held it to the ceasefire.
Valtoha7 SepPakistanKhem KaranA Pakistani tank squadron reached Valtoha, then pulled back.
Charwa and Gadgor7–8 SepIndiaSialkotIndia broke in from Samba; a pause let Pakistan reinforce.
Asal Uttar8–10 SepPakistanKhem KaranPakistan’s 1st Armoured Division was defeated on flooded ground.
Burki8–11 SepIndiaLahoreIndia took the fortified village on the canal.
Gadra City8 SepIndiaRajasthan / SindhIndian 30 Inf Bde (1 Garhwal) took the Pakistani border town of Gadra, held by Indus Rangers.
Munabao (Maratha Hill)8–10 SepPakistanRajasthan / SindhA Pakistani attack overran the RAC post and a 5 Maratha LI company; air strikes hit Indian reinforcements near Gadra Road.
Kishangarh fort8–18 SepPakistanRajasthan / SindhPakistani Rangers and Hur irregulars besieged and took the Indian border fort of Kishangarh.
Phillora10–11 SepIndiaSialkotIndia took Phillora; Pakistani armour fell back to Chawinda.
Chawinda14–19 SepIndiaSialkotRepeated Indian assaults failed; among the largest tank battles since 1945.
Jassoran16 SepIndiaSialkotIndia’s deepest push on the Sialkot axis.
Dali19–22 SepIndiaRajasthan / SindhIndian troops (17 Madras, Maratha LI and a tank troop) took Dali and faced a strong Pakistani counter-attack.
Dograi, second battle20–22 SepIndiaLahoreIndia retook Dograi in close fighting on the eve of the ceasefire.
Ichhogil crossing22–23 SepIndiaLahoreIndian night crossing of the canal near Burki (place approximate).
Kalidhar ridge28 Sep – 5 OctIndiaKashmir (Akhnoor-Rajouri)Indian attacks on the ridge after the ceasefire.

How this map stays neutral

Totals and outcomes come first from independent sources: the US Library of Congress country study, Van Praagh’s itemised territory figures, and the losses table compiled on Wikipedia. Each side’s own claim is shown next to them. Where no independent figure exists, both claims are given and neither is chosen. Battle positions are approximate, and a few are low-confidence (Biar Bet, Raja Picquet, Tithwal, the Ichhogil crossing, Kishangarh). Who held Dali at the ceasefire is disputed. The held-ground outlines are sketches drawn around the villages each side held and sized to the cited areas; they are not surveyed lines. Van Praagh’s 540 km² for Pakistan does not count the Rajasthan desert, where Pakistan claims 500 to 1,200 km².

All battles and raids

Every battle on the map. Select a row to find it on the plate.

37 battles and raids

Attacker
6 Sep 1965Pakistan
8–10 Sep 1965Pakistan
6–7 Sep 1965India
21 Sep 1965India
24–26 Apr 1965Pakistan
8–11 Sep 1965India
7–8 Sep 1965India
14–19 Sep 1965India
1–2 Sep 1965Pakistan
19 Sep 1965Pakistan
19–22 Sep 1965India
20–22 Sep 1965India
8 Sep 1965India
5–20 Aug 1965Pakistan
5 Aug – 6 Sep 1965Pakistan
26–28 Aug 1965India
6 Sep 1965Pakistan
6–23 Sep 1965Pakistan
22–23 Sep 1965India
6–8 Sep 1965India
16 Sep 1965India
3–6 Sep 1965Pakistan
28 Sep – 5 Oct 1965India
1 Jan – 9 Apr 1965Pakistan
15 Aug 1965India
7–8 Sep 1965Pakistan
8–18 Sep 1965Pakistan
8–10 Sep 1965Pakistan
7–8 Sep 1965Pakistan
6 Sep 1965Pakistan
10–11 Sep 1965India
5–6 Sep 1965India
9 Apr 1965Pakistan
7 Sep 1965India
24 Aug – 13 Oct 1965India
7 Sep 1965Pakistan
6 Sep 1965India

Sources