Most significant long term REPERCUSSIONS of the war.
Territorial repercussions are the most evident, as most of the wars concerned territory based on religious, social and political interests. As a result of Pakistan’s loss in the war of 1971, Bangladesh emerged as a country and India remained victorious after twenty-four years of war. However, in earlier wars, the conflict can be seen as the main reason princely states dissipated, particularly Kashmir. The fluctuating border sizes and area of control were a long term repercussion of the first and second wars (1947 and 1965, respectively), which later expanded into the problems and outcomes of the war of 1971. These wars shaped the countries people see today, including the history that defines each of them. Pakistan, however, had a much more intensified repercussion after the war of 1971. The psychological setback in Pakistan’s once-rising dominance stemmed from the utter humiliation of defeat. Pakistan launched the attack boasting confidence, but lost completely overwhelmed. The intense rivalry between India and Pakistan culminated with India winning, and the shock of losing after twenty-four years had repercussions for the political party. The repercussions were also relevant in religion. The Pakistani people believed that the loss signified the Islamic ideology was “too weak”, failing to keep Bengalis a part of Pakistan. This change in identity was a major setback for Pakistan, a country who thrived off the development of religion. The economic repercussions also set Pakistan up for years of moribund, as the war was expensive not only in terms of monetary value, but human resources as well. The loss of people (most prisoners of war) left Pakistan relatively “empty” and therefore Pakistan failed to have the social climate necessary for political and social advancements. The physical repercussions of the war were destructive, but the mental repercussions are what defined the scope and scale of the aftermath of the wars.
"Dacca is now the free capital of a free country. We hail the people of Bangladesh in their hour of triumph. All nations who value the human spirit will recognize it as a significant milestone in man's quest for liberty." - Prime Minister Indira Ghandi's Declaration
"Moreover, the [Pakistani] army had failed to fulfill its promises of fighting to the last man. The eastern command had laid down arms after losing only 1,300 men in battle. In West Pakistan 1,200 military deaths had accompanied lackluster military performance." - Note by Hassain Haqqani
"We must accept the fact that, as a people, we had also contributed to the bifurcation of our own country. It was not a Niazi, or a Yahya, even a Mujib, or a Bhutto, or their key assistants, who alone were the cause of our break-up, but a corrupted system and a flawed social order that our own apathy had allowed to remain in place for years. At the most critical moment in our history we failed to check the limitless ambitions of individuals with dubious antecedents and to thwart their selfish and irresponsible behaviour. It was our collective 'conduct' that had provided the enemy an opportunity to dismember us." - Pakistani Major General Hakeem Arshad Qureshi
Assessment
The Indo-Pakistani wars were violent and devastating for the involved countries, but showcased how religion, politics and society intermingle in the hands of war, more so than most wars prior. The first war, in 1947, was sparked by the religious tensions caused by the Partition of India, designated religion as the root of turmoil between the countries. However, these tensions expanded into the political climate, driving countries to make planned and rash decisions for the benefit of themselves and the society within. Soon, the religious and political tensions could not be separate, which in a sense could define the Indo-Pakistani wars as total wars, especially the war of 1971. The loss of resources and people deem the war devastating, but also show how large the scope of war was despite being only a few days long. The wars, as a big picture, engulfed the countries and know are definitions of the 20th century history of India and Pakistan. The tensions can be seen even today with religious extremism and Middle Eastern tensions. The impacts of the war were vast, showing how complicated- with religion, society, resources, security, economy, etc.- war can become between two nations. The nature and practice are more relevant to the individual wars; 1947 showed coercion and delegated/orchrastrated operations, 1965 show advancements in technology and tactics, 1971 showed violence and totality. But, overall as a final assessment, the war was the “perfect balance” of religious and political desires and tension that likewise caused the “perfect storm”; a generation defined by unending tensions to complicated to compromise.