List of wars involving India

This is a list of military operations conducted by the post-independence Dominion of India (1947–1950) and the modern Republic of India (since 1950), including total wars, limited operations, and counter-insurgency missions both domestically and abroad.

List of War and Conflicts

  Indian defeat
  Indian victory
  Another result (e.g. a treaty or peace without a clear result, status quo ante bellum, result of civil or internal conflict, result unknown or indecisive)
  Ongoing conflict
Name of conflict India
and allies
Opponents Outcome
Indonesian National Revolution

(1947-1949)

Indonesia

Internal conflict:
DI/TII
FDR

Netherlands[c]

 United Kingdom[e]


Japan[e]

Victory
Indo-Pakistani War of 1947
(1947–1948)
India Pakistan

Hunza state forces[14]
Nagar state forces[14]
Chitral state forces[15]

Ceasefire
Integration of Junagadh
(1947)
 India Junagadh Victory
  • Annexation of Junagadh into India
Operation Polo
(1948)
 India Hyderabad Victory
  • Annexation of Hyderabad into India
Korean War
(1950–1953)
 South Korea

United Nations
 United States
 United Kingdom
 Canada
 Turkey
 Australia
 Philippines
 New Zealand
 Thailand
 Ethiopia
 Greece
 France
 Colombia
 Belgium
 South Africa
 Netherlands
 Luxembourg

Supported by:

 North Korea


 China
 Soviet Union

Supported by:

Stalemate
  • Formation of the DMZ
Annexation of Dadra and Nagar Haveli
(1954)
 India Portugal Victory
Congo Crisis
(1960–1964)
1960–63:

Republic of the Congo


Supported by:
Soviet Union (1960)
ONUC[f]  India

1960–63:

Katanga
South Kasai
Supported by:
Belgium[g]


1960–62:
Stanleyville government
Supported by:
Soviet Union

Victory
Annexation of Goa
(1961)
 India Portugal Victory
Sino-Indian War of 1962
(1962)
 India  China Defeat
Insurgency in Northeast India
(1964–)

India

Supported by:

Separatist groups:

Other:
Supported by:

Jihadist groups:

Ongoing
Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
(1965)
 India  Pakistan Stalemate
Naxalite–Maoist insurgency
(1967–)

Militias: (until 2011)[30]

Supported by:
Ongoing
Sino-Indian War of 1967
(1967)
India China Victory
Bangladesh Liberation War
( From March 1971)
& Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
( From Dec 1971)
 India
Bangladesh

Supported by:
Soviet Union[48][49]

 Pakistan

Supported by:
United States[50][51]
United Kingdom[52]
China[52]
Iran[53][54]
Ceylon[55][56][57][58]
Saudi Arabia[59]

Victory
The First JVP insurrection
(1971)
Ceylon

Australia
Egypt
India
Pakistan
Singapore
Soviet Union
United Kingdom
United States
Yugoslavia
China

JVP

Supported by:
North Korea (alleged)
ASBPI
CCP (Maoist) (alleged)

Victory
  • Rebel forces surrender
  • Ceylonese government reestablishes control over entire island
Siachen War
(1984–2003)
 India  Pakistan Victory
Operation Blue Star (1984)  India

Supported by:
 United Kingdom

 Soviet Union

Sikh militants Victory
  • Indian forces suffer high casualties
Insurgency in Punjab (1984–1995) India Sikh militants

Supported by:
 Pakistan

Victory
  • Militancy defeated
Operation Flowers are Blooming
(1986)
 India
 Seychelles
Military of Seychelles Victory
  • Aversion of the coup
  • Resignation of Berlouis
The Second JVP insurrection
(1987–1989)
Sri Lanka
India

Military support:

JVP
Deshapremi Janatha Viyaparaya
IUSF

Supported by:

Victory
  • Emergency conditions in South-western and Central provinces of Sri Lanka lifted
  • Insurgency declined following the fall of the Eastern bloc
Sri Lankan Civil War
(1987–1990)
 India
 Sri Lanka
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam Withdrawal
Operation Cactus
(1988)
 India
Maldives
PLOTE
Maldivian rebels
Victory
  • Restoration of government rule in Maldives
Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir
(1989–)

Political Parties:

Armed groups:

Supported by:


Ongoing
Tajikistani Civil War (1992–1997) UNMOT

Non-UNMOT:

United Tajik Opposition
Taliban
Victory
United Nations Operation in Somalia II
(1993–1995)

(Part of the Somali Civil War)
(1991–)

UNOSOM II Somali National Alliance Inconclusive/Other Result
Kargil War
(1999)
 India  Pakistan

Victory

Operation Ocean Shield
(2009–2016)
NATO

Non-NATO:

Pirates

Victory

  • Number of Somali pirate attacks have been reduced dramatically.
China–India skirmishes
(2020–21)
 India  China

Stalemate

  • Both sides pulled back their troops from the face-off points.[82][83]
India–Pakistan Conflict
(2025)
 India  Pakistan

Ceasefire [84][85]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ 1948-1949, after Operation Kraai
  2. ^ after 1947
  3. ^ from 1946
  4. ^ claimed neutrality
  5. ^ a b c until 1946
  6. ^ ONUC, the United Nations Operation in the Congo, included troops from Ghana, Tunisia, Morocco, Ethiopia, Ireland, Guinea, Sweden, Mali, Sudan, Liberia, Canada, India, Indonesia and the United Arab Republic among others.
  7. ^ The secession of Katanga and South Kasai was also supported by South Africa, France and the neighbouring Central African Federation. However, it was never officially recognised by any other state.

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Sources