Kashmir’s accession dispute and the beginning of the 1947 invasion

The princely state of Jammu and Kashmir became a major point of contention between India and Pakistan following Independence in August 1947. Established in 1846 under the Treaty of Amritsar, the state was ruled by Maharaja Hari Singh of the Dogra dynasty. Popular movements had challenged Dogra rule over the preceding decades.

At Independence, Hari Singh initially chose not to accede to either India or Pakistan. Pakistan signed a standstill agreement with the state to maintain existing administrative and supply arrangements. However, relations deteriorated as Kashmir’s government accused Pakistan of disrupting essential supplies to pressure the Maharaja into joining Pakistan.

On October 22, 1947, tribal fighters from Pakistan’s Northwest Frontier Province and adjoining regions invaded Kashmir. Elements of the Pakistani administration supported the operation, known as Operation Gulmarg, which aimed to capture the state through an advance by tribal forces.

The raiders seized Muzaffarabad, Domel and Uri before advancing towards Srinagar. Capturing the summer capital would have weakened the Maharaja’s government and potentially enabled Pakistan to establish control over the state.

Srinagar was also strategically important because its airport provided the principal route for rapidly transporting Indian troops into the Kashmir Valley, which had limited road connectivity with the rest of India.

Indian Army’s Airlift and the Defence of Srinagar

As the invasion intensified, the Indian government dispatched V P Menon, Secretary of the Ministry of States, to Srinagar on October 25, 1947, to assess the situation. With the Maharaja’s government facing imminent collapse, Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession to India on October 26, enabling Indian military intervention.

The government simultaneously prepared an emergency airlift to transport troops and supplies to the valley. An Army Airlift Committee coordinated the operation, while approximately 25 aircraft, primarily Dakota transport planes, were assembled in Delhi. Home Minister Vallabhbhai Patel also appealed to civilian aircraft operators to assist with the emergency deployment.

The operation involved significant risks. Mountainous terrain, limited airport infrastructure, inadequate communication facilities and uncertainty over the safety of the Srinagar airstrip complicated the mission. Nevertheless, the airlift proceeded.

On October 27, 1947, Indian Army troops began landing at Srinagar airport, marking a decisive intervention in the conflict. Soldiers and supplies were transported by air to defend the airport, protect the capital and prevent the raiders from advancing further into the valley.

By November 6, India had deployed approximately 3,500 troops in Srinagar. Indian forces subsequently pushed the raiders back towards Uri, helping secure the Kashmir Valley. The operation also facilitated the evacuation of British residents and tourists from Srinagar.

The airlift demonstrated the strategic importance of aviation in military operations, particularly where difficult terrain and limited road connectivity restricted troop movement. It also became a defining episode in the early military history of independent India.

October 27 is commemorated as Infantry Day by the Indian Army in recognition of the troops who were airlifted to Srinagar in 1947 to defend Jammu and Kashmir.