7 Forgotten Battles of the Indian Armed Forces

History has witnessed many defeats, but the last stand of 21 soldiers of the 36th Sikh Regiment at Saragarhi remains unforgettable. Fought on 12 September 1897 on the North-West Frontier of British India, the 21 Sikh soldiers held off an estimated 10,000 to 14,000 Afghan tribesmen for nearly 7 to 10 hours to protect Forts Lockhart and Gulistan. All 21 defenders were killed, but their courage and determination became an enduring symbol of military valour. Today, Saragarhi is remembered as one of the most remarkable acts of resistance in Indian military history.

Fought from 8 March to 3 July 1944 in Manipur, the Battle of Imphal marked a turning point in the Second World War’s Burma Campaign. Japanese forces sought to destroy Allied troops stationed at Imphal and advance into India from Burma (now Myanmar). Indian soldiers serving in the British Indian Army, including Gurkha troops, played a crucial role in defending the region alongside other Allied forces. Despite being surrounded and facing severe supply shortages, the defenders held their positions with vital support from aerial supply operations. The Japanese offensive ultimately failed, with heavy losses from combat, disease and starvation.

For 451 years, Portuguese rule persisted in Goa, Daman and Diu—even after India gained independence in 1947. That changed in December 1961, when the Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Vijay after peaceful efforts and UN resolutions failed to convince the Portuguese to leave. India deployed its Army, Navy and Air Force in a coordinated operation across land, sea and air. The campaign lasted approximately 36 hours, ending with the surrender of Portuguese forces on 19 December 1961. Operation Vijay marked a defining moment in independent India’s history, bringing Portuguese colonial rule in the region to an end.

The Battle of Chawinda, fought during the India–Pakistan War of 1965, became one of the largest tank battles of the conflict and earned Chawinda the enduring nickname “Graveyard of Enemy Tanks.” Indian Army's 1 Corps advanced into Pakistan's Sialkot sector to threaten key road and rail links. The fighting intensified around Chawinda, where tanks, infantry and artillery clashed amid determined resistance and air attacks. Heavy armour losses on both sides contributed to the battle's reputation. The advance was halted, and the ceasefire of September 1965 brought the fighting to an end.

The Battle of Cho La remains one of the lesser-known victories in India's Himalayan history. On 1 October 1967, Indian and Chinese troops clashed at Cho La Pass along the Sikkim–Tibet border. Indian troops, including personnel from the 7/11 Gorkha Rifles, confronted Chinese forces in a fierce high-altitude engagement. Occurring just weeks after the larger Battle of Nathu La (September 11–14, 1967), Cho La served as the final chapter of the 1967 Sino-Indian border conflict. It resulted in a decisive tactical victory for India, successfully halting Chinese attempts to alter the border line.

Before the 1971 war officially began, the battlefield was already heating up—and India was fighting on land and in the air. On 21 November, Indian Army troops, supported by PT-76 amphibious tanks and Bangladeshi liberation fighters, clashed with Pakistani forces at Garibpur in a fierce armoured engagement. The following day, the fighting reached the skies over Boyra, where Indian Air Force Folland Gnat fighters intercepted Pakistani F-86 Sabres. Two Sabres were shot down, and another was damaged. These lesser-known engagements strengthened India's position in the eastern theatre and became important episodes in the military campaign leading to Bangladesh's liberation.

At more than 21,000 feet above sea level, where freezing temperatures, treacherous ice walls and blizzards turn every movement into a struggle for survival, Indian soldiers undertook one challenging high-altitude military operations. Launched in June 1987, Operation Rajiv aimed to capture Quaid Post, a strategically important Pakistani position overlooking India's positions on the Siachen Glacier. After several unsuccessful attempts, a team led by Naib Subedar Bana Singh captured the post on 26 June. Renamed Bana Top in his honour, the position strengthened India's control over the area. Bana Singh was awarded the Param Vir Chakra for his exceptional courage and leadership.

The history of the Indian Armed Forces has evolved through decades of conflict, operational challenges and changing security requirements. From the frontier battles of the colonial era to the wars fought after Independence, each engagement contributed to the development of military strategy, operational preparedness and institutional experience. These experiences influenced how the Army, Navy and Air Force adapted to different terrains, emerging technologies and increasingly complex security challenges. Beyond their immediate outcomes, these battles also shaped India's approach to national defence and territorial security.

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