Mitro Bahini order of battle
order of battle
The Indian Army had no standby force ready in 1971 with the specific task of attacking East Pakistan, one of the many reasons why India did not immediately intervene after Pakistan launched Operation Searchlight in March 1971. Indian Army's Eastern Command was tasked with defending the northern and eastern borders and fighting the insurgencies in Nagaland, Mizoram and Naxalites in West Bengal at that time.
Mukti Bahini, aided by the Indian army through Operation Jackpot, led the struggle against the Pakistan Army while the Indian Army readied for intervention. General M. A. G. Osmani, Commander-in-Chief Bangladesh Forces, had divided Mukti Bahini forces into 11 geographical sectors for command and control purpose. Mukti Bahini forces numbered 30,000 regular soldiers (including 3 brigades containing 8 infantry battalions and 3 artillery batteries) and at least 100,000 guerrillas by December 1971.
The Indian Army Eastern Command assembled two existing infantry corps, the IV Corps and the XXXIII Corps, for operations in Bangladesh, and created a new corps (II Corps) besides reorganising the 101 Communication Zone as a combat formation. On 21 November 1971, the Indian and Bangladesh forces were put under a joint command structure India Bangladesh force in the eastern theatre, led by Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora, and this force came to be known as Mitro Bahini. In addition to 29 battalions of the Border Security Force (BSF), Mukti Bahini guerrillas operating near the border or awaiting deployment in camps inside India were organised into infantry companies and attached to various Indian formations.
Indian Army Eastern Command
HQ: Fort William, Kolkata
GOC-in-C (Indian Army): Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora
COS: Major General JFR Jacob
Director Military Operations: Major General Inderjit Singh Gill, MC
Director Operation Jackpot: Lieutenant General B.N. 'Jimmy' Sirkar
Bangladesh Forces Liaison: Group Captain A.K. Khandkar, HQ: 8, Theater Road, Kolkata
Units attached to Eastern Command but outside Bangladesh operational area:
From IV Corps:
2nd Infantry Division in North eastern border
5th Infantry Division in North eastern border
From XXXIII Corps:
17th Mountain division in Sikkim
27th Mountain division in Kalimpong, North Bengal
Airborne forces attached to Eastern Command:
50th (Independent) Parachute Brigade CO: Brigadier Mathew Thomas
2nd battalion Parachute Regiment (2 Para) (in airborne role) CO: Lieutenant Colonel Kulwant Singh Pannu
7th battalion Parachute Regiment (7 Para) CO: Lieutenant Colonel RP Singh (KIA)
8th battalion Parachute Regiment (8 Para) CO: Lieutenant Colonel Afsir Karim
17 Para Field Regiment CO: Lieutenant Colonel Khanna
60 Para Medical Company CO: Lieutenant Colonel M Kumar
Eastern Command Reserve:
6th Mountain division less brigade HQ: Cooch Bihar GOC: Major General P.C. Reddy
2 Engineer Regiments and bomb disposal group
Bengal Area
GOC: Major General J.P. Chowdhury HQ: Kolkata
1st battalion 3rd Gurkha Rifles (1/3 GR)
11th battalion Bihar Regiment (11 Bihar)
12th battalion Garhwal Rifles (12 Garh Rif)
Engineers and bomb disposal units
Western Sector
Area of Operation: Khulna, Jessore, Kushtia and Faridpur districts
II Corps
GOC: Lieutenant General T.N. 'Tappy' Raina HQ: Krishnanagar, West Bengal
50th (Independent) Parachute Brigade – Brig M. Thomas, less 2 Para battalion group in airborne role
8th Mountain Artillery Brigade
58th, 68th and 263rd Engineering Regiments
9th Infantry Division
GOC: Major General Dalbir Singh
32 Infantry Brigade – Brigadier M Tewari
42 Infantry Brigade – Brigadier J. M. Jhoria
350 Infantry Brigade – Brigadier H. S. Sandhu
9th Artillery Brigade
45th Cavalry (PT-76s)
102nd Engineer Regiment
Mukti Bahini Sector #9 – Major Jalil
4th Mountain Division
GOC: Major General M.S. BararHQ: Krishnanagar
7th Mountain Brigade – Brigadier Zail Singh
41st Mountain Brigade – Brigadier Tony Michigan
62nd Mountain Brigade - Brigadier Rajinder Nath
4th Mountain Artillery Brigade
Mukti Bahini Sector #8 – Lieutenant Colonel M.A. Manzoor
North Western Sector
Area of Operation: Rajshahi, Bogra, Dinajpur and Rangpur districts
Corps: XXXIII
GOC: Lieutenant General M. L. ThapanHQ: Siliguri, West Bengal
Corps Artillery Brigade
471st Engineering Brigade – Colonel Suri
235th Engineering Regiment
2 Para battalion Group in airborne role to parachute over Tangail to capture Poongli Bridge on 11 Dec, Bn gp consisting of:
A field battery of 17 Para Field Regiment
A section of 411 Para Field Company
A surgical team of 60 Para Medical Company
MF Brigade – Brigadier Prem Singh
Mukti Bahini Sector #7 – Lieutenant Colonel Q.N. Zaman
71st Mountain Brigade – Brigadier P. N. Kathpalia
Mukti Bahini Sector #6 – Wing Commander Mohammad K. Bashar
20th Mountain Division
GOC: Maj. Gen.
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