हिंदीOn this day

Jammu and Kashmir War, 1947–48

SideIndiaIndian Army and the forces of Jammu and Kashmir state
1947vs
SidePakistan-backed tribal lashkars, later the Pakistan ArmyLashkar leaders under Pakistani direction

Two months after independence, armed tribal lashkars from Pakistan invaded Jammu and Kashmir; the Maharaja acceded to India, and Indian troops were flown into Srinagar the next morning.

Date: October 1947 – January 1949Where: Jammu and Kashmir: Srinagar, Uri, Poonch, Zoji LaType: Campaign
Photo: Government of India · Public domain
Result

India saved Srinagar, the Valley, Jammu and Ladakh; a ceasefire on 1 January 1949 left the rest under Pakistani occupation.

01Accession and the airlift

On 22 October 1947 thousands of armed tribesmen crossed into the state and took Muzaffarabad, killing and looting as they came. Brigadier Rajinder Singh of the state forces held them at Uri for two days and died there. At Baramulla they sacked the town. Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession to India on 26 October. On 27 October the 1st Sikh landed at Srinagar airfield, a day now kept as Infantry Day. On 3 November Major Somnath Sharma’s company held off the lashkar at Badgam; he was killed and became the first recipient of the Param Vir Chakra.

02Tanks at Zoji La

The Indian Army beat the lashkar at Shalateng on 7 November and retook Baramulla and Uri. The war spread to Jammu, Naushera, Jhangar and Poonch, which was besieged for a year and supplied by air. Pakistan’s regular army entered the fighting in 1948. In November 1948 Indian Stuart tanks were taken over the Zoji La pass at about 3,500 metres to clear the way to Kargil and Leh, and Poonch was relieved the same month. The ceasefire came into force on 1 January 1949 under the United Nations.

Dogras of Jammu and Kashmir
Dynasty · 1822–1952 CE (Maharajas of Jammu and Kashmir from 1846)Dogras of Jammu and KashmirGulab Singh, a Dogra Rajput in Ranjit Singh’s service, was made Raja of Jammu in 1822 and Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir by the treaty of Amritsar in 1846. His general Zorawar Singh carried the Dogra flag across Ladakh to the edge of Tibet, and his great-grandson Hari Singh signed the state into India in October 1947.Read →
Why it matters

The first war of independent India decided that the Valley, Jammu and Ladakh would remain in India, and left the dispute over the occupied part that continues today.