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{{short description|Order of battle}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2022}}

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 (India)|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.<ref>Jacob, Lt. Gen. JFR, ''Surrender at Dacca: Birth of A Nation'', p60</ref>

[[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 [[Mukti Bahini|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 (India)|IV Corps]] and the [[XXXIII Corps (India)|XXXIII Corps]], for operations in Bangladesh, and created a new corps ([[II Corps (India)|II Corps]])<ref>Jacob, Lt. Gen. JFR, "Surrender at Dacca: Birth of A Nation’’, p75</ref> besides reorganising the 101 Communication Zone as a combat formation.<ref>Islam, Maj. Rafiqil, ''A Tale of Millions'', p314</ref> 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 (India)|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),<ref>Salik, Siddiq, ''Witness to Surrender'', p123</ref> 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, India|Fort William]], [[Kolkata]]
[[File:Banoob71.PNG|325px|right|thumb|Location of Mitro Bahini and Pakistani units in December 1971. Some unit locations are not shown. Map not to exact scale]]
[[General Officer Commanding|GOC-in-C]] (Indian Army): [[Lieutenant General (India)|Lieutenant General]] [[Jagjit Singh Aurora]] 
COS: [[Major General]] [[JFR Jacob]] 
Director Military Operations: Major General [[Inderjit Singh Gill]], [[Military Cross|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 (India)|2nd Infantry Division]] in North eastern border
*[[5th Infantry Division (India)|5th Infantry Division]] in North eastern border

From XXXIII Corps:
*[[17th Infantry Division (India)|17th Mountain division]] in [[Sikkim]]
*27th Mountain division in Kalimpong, North Bengal

Airborne forces attached to Eastern Command:
*[[50th Parachute Brigade (India)|50th (Independent) Parachute Brigade]] CO: Brigadier Mathew Thomas
*2nd battalion [[Parachute Regiment (India)|Parachute Regiment]] (2 Para) (in airborne role) CO: Lieutenant Colonel [[Kulwant Singh Pannu]]
*7th battalion [[Parachute Regiment (India)|Parachute Regiment]] (7 Para) CO: Lieutenant Colonel RP Singh (KIA)
*8th battalion [[Parachute Regiment (India)|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 Infantry Division (India)|6th Mountain division]] less brigade HQ: Cooch Bihar GOC: Major General P.C. Reddy
**2 Engineer Regiments and bomb disposal group

===Bengal Area===
[[General Officer Commanding|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 District|Jessore]], [[Kushtia]] and [[Faridpur District|Faridpur]] districts

===II Corps===
GOC: Lieutenant General [[Tapishwar Narain Raina|T.N. 'Tappy' Raina]] HQ: Krishnanagar, [[West Bengal]]
*[[50th Parachute Brigade (India)|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 (India)|45th Cavalry]] ([[PT-76]]s)
**102nd Engineer Regiment
*Mukti Bahini Sector #9 – Major Jalil

====4th Mountain Division====
GOC: Major General M.S. Barar HQ: 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 District (Bangladesh)|Dinajpur]] and [[Rangpur District|Rangpur]] districts

===Corps: XXXIII===
GOC: Lieutenant General M. L. Thapan HQ: [[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. Lachman Singh HQ: [[Balurghat]], West Bengal
*66th Mountain Brigade – Brigadier G. S. Sharma
*165th Mountain Brigade – Brigadier R. S. Pannu
*202nd Mountain Brigade – Brigadier F. P. Bhatty
*3rd Armoured Brigade ([[63rd Cavalry (India)|63rd Cavalry]] ([[T-55]]s) and 69th Armoured Regiment ([[PT-76]]s) – Brigadier G. Singh Sidhu
*20th Mountain Artillery Brigade
**13th Engineering Regiment
*340th Mountain Brigade Group – Brigadier Joginder Singh
**97th Mountain Regiment

====6th Mountain Division====
(Eastern Command HQ Reserve)
GOC: Major General P. C. Reddy HQ: [[Cooch Bihar]], West Bengal
*9th Mountain Brigade – Brigadier Tirit Varma
*99th Mountain Brigade -
*6th Mountain Artillery Brigade
**51st Engineer Regiment

==North Eastern Sector==
Area of Operation: [[Mymensingh]] and [[Tangail]] districts

===101st Communication Zone===
GOC: Major General Gurbax Singh Gil HQ: Guwahati, [[Assam]]
*312 Air Defence Brigade
*342 Independent Air Defence Brigade
**56th Mountain Regiment plus Engineers
*95th Mountain Brigade – Brigadier Hardev Singh Kler
*FJ Sector Brigade – Brigadier Sant Singh<ref>Islam, Maj. Rafiqul, ''A Tale of Millions'', p313</ref>
*Mukti Bahini Sector #11 – Lieutenant Colonel Abu Taher
*167th Infantry Brigade – Brigadier Irani (allotted after 8 December 1971)
*5th Mountain Brigade (allotted after 8 December 1971)

==Eastern Sector==
Area of Operation: [[Sylhet]], [[Comilla]], [[Noakhali]] & [[Chittagong]] districts

===IV Corps===
GOC Lieutenant General [[Sagat Singh]] HQ: Agartala, [[Tripura]]
*IV Corps Artillery Brigade
*Three Independent Tank Squadrons
**4th, 62nd, 234th Engineer Regiments and support elements

====8th Mountain Division====
GOC: Major General [[K. V. Krishna Rao]]
*Echo Force Brigade – Brigadier Wadeker
*Mukti Bahini Sector #5 – Major Mir Shawkat Ali
*59th Mountain Brigade – Brigadier C. A. Quinn
*81st Mountain Brigade – Brigadier R. C. V. Apte
*2nd Mountain Artillery Brigade
*Mukti Bahini Sector #4 – Lieutenant Colonel C.R. Dutta

====57th Mountain Division====
GOC: Major General B.F. Gonsalves
*Mukti Bahini S Force Brigade – Lieutenant Colonel K.M. Shafiullah
*311th Mountain Brigade – Brigadier Mishra
*73rd Mountain Brigade – Brigadier Tuli
*61st Mountain Brigade – Brigadier Tom Pande
*57th Mountain Artillery Brigade
*Mukti Bahini Sector #3 – Maj. A. N. Nuruzzaman
*Mukti Bahini Sector #2 – Maj. A.T.M Haider
**15th Engineering Regiment

====23rd Mountain Division====
GOC: Major General R.D. Hira
*301st Mountain Brigade – Brigadier H. S. Sodhi
*181st Mountain Brigade – Brigadier Y. C. Bakshi
*83rd Mountain Brigade – Brigadier B. S. Sandhu
*23rd Mountain Artillery Brigade
*Kilo Force Brigade – Brigadier Ananda Swaroop<ref>Islam, Maj. Rafiqul, ''A Tale of Millions'', p318</ref> containing:
**Mukti Bahini Sector #1 – Major Rafiqul Islam
**Mukti Bahini K Force Brigade – Major Salek Chowdhury
**Mizo Range Hills Brigade<ref>Jacob, Lt. Gen. JFR, ''Surrender at Dacca: Birth of A Nation'', p196</ref>

==Indian Navy Eastern Fleet==
FOC-in-C: [[Vice Admiral (India)|Vice Admiral]] [[Nilakanta Krishnan]] HQ: [[Vishakhapatnam]], [[Andhra Pradesh]] 
[[Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet|FOCEF]]: [[Rear Admiral]] [[S. H. Sarma]] 
A liaison officer from the Navy was posted at Fort William to coordinate matters with the Army Eastern Command. The fleet was at its peacetime standing when radio intercepts warned of PNS ''Ghazi'' entering the Bay of Bengal. {{INS|Vikrant|1961|6}} and part of the [[Eastern Fleet (India)|Eastern Fleet]] was moved to the [[Andamans]] as a result.

*{{INS|Vikrant|1961|6}} – [[Captain (naval)|Captain]] [[Swaraj Parkash]] ([[Majestic-class]] light aircraft carrier)
*INS ''Brahmaputra'' – Captain J.C. Puri ([[Leopard-class frigate|''Leopard''-class frigate]])
*INS ''Beas'' – Captain L. Ramdas (''Leopard''-class frigate)
*INS ''Kamorta'' – Captain [[Manohar Prahlad Awati|M.P. Awati]] ([[Petya-class frigate]])
*INS ''Kavaratti'' - Captain S. Paul (Petya-class frigate)
*INS ''Rajput'' – [[Lieutenant Commander]] Inder Singh (destroyer)
*INS ''Kalvari'' – (submarine)
*INS ''Khandari'' – [[Commander]] R. J. Milan (submarine)
**INS ''Panvel'' – Lieutenant Commander G.R. Naroha (gunboat)
**INS ''Pulikat'' – Lieutenant Commander S. Krishnnan (gunboat)
**INS ''Panaji'' – Lieutenant Commander R. Gupta (gunboat)
**INS ''Akshay'' – Lieutenant Commander S.D. Moore (gunboat)
***INS ''Guldar'' – Lieutenant Commander U. Dabir (landing ship)
***INS ''Gharial'' – Lieutenant Commander A.K. Sharma (landing ship)
***INS ''Maggar'' – Lieutenant Commander A.T.N. Singhal (landing ship)

===[[Bangladesh Navy]]===
Two [[gunboat]]s under Indian officers and crewed by Bengali seamen were engaged in ''Operation Hotpants'' prior to 3 December 1971, harassing merchant traffic to East Pakistan and laying mines on the waterways. After 6 December, when the Indian government recognised Bangladesh as a sovereign nation, the crew wore uniforms of their respective organisations. 
Squadron CO: Commander [[Mohan Narayan Rao Samant|M.N.R. Samant]] (On deputation from Indian Navy)
**BNS ''Palash'' – Lieutenant Commander J.K. Rai Chowdhury (Indian Navy) (gunboat)
**BNS ''Padma'' – [[Lieutenant (navy)|Lieutenant]] S.K. Mitter (On deputation from Indian Navy) (gunboat)

==[[Indian Air Force]] Eastern Air Command==
[[File:Banair71a.PNG|325px|right|thumb|Location of Mitro Bahini and Pakistani units in December 1971. Some unit locations are not shown. Map not to exact scale]]
[[Air Officer Commanding|AOC-in-C]]: [[Air Marshal (India)|Air Marshal]] [[Hari Chand Dewan|H. C. Dewan]], Temporary advanced HQ at Fort William 
Prior to 1971, Indian Air Force had two command centers dealing with the East, Eastern Air Command (HQ [[Shillong]]) responsible for the North Eastern Border, and the [[Central Air Command (India)|Central Air Command]] (HQ [[Allahabad]]), looking after areas south of the [[Ganges river]].
[[Air Chief Marshal (India)|Air Chief Marshal]] [[Pratap Chandra Lal]] formed an advance HQ at Fort William after consultation with Major General Jacob to coordinate operations with the army before the start of the war.

Western Sector:
*[[No. 7 Squadron IAF]] (''Battle Axes''): [[Hawker Hunter]] F. MK 56 and 2 F. MK 1 - [[Bagdogra]] (WC Ceolho, then WC Suri). The squadron was moved Chamb after 12 December.
*[[No. 14 Squadron IAF]] (''Bulls''): Hawker Hunter F. MK 56 - Kalaikudda (WC Sundersan) - Fighter
*[[No. 16 Squadron IAF]] (''Rattlers''): [[English Electric Canberra|Canberra]] - Kalaikudda - (WC Gautum) - Bomber
*[[No. 22 Squadron IAF]] (''Swifts''): [[Folland Gnat]] MK 1 [[Dum Dum]], then Kalaikudda, then Calcutta (WC Sikand)
*[[No. 30 Squadron IAF]] (''Charging Rhinos''): [[Mig 21]] FL - Kalaikudda (WC Chudda) - Interceptor
*[[No. 221 Squadron IAF]] (''Valiants''): [[Su-7]] BMK - [[Panagarh]] (WC Sridharan) – Fighter/Bomber
*[[No. 104 Helicopter Squadron, IAF]] (Alluitte 3) and (Mi-4) Helicopter

North East and North Western Sector:
AOC-in-C: [[Air Vice Marshal]] Devasher HQ: Shillong
*[[No. 4 Squadron IAF]] (''Oorials''): [[Mig 21]] FL - [[Gauhati]] (Wing Commander JV Gole)
*[[No. 15 Squadron IAF]] (''Flying Lancers''): Folland Gnat - Gauhati then [[Agortala]] (WC Singh)
*[[No. 17 Squadron IAF]] (''Golden Arrows''): Hawker Hunter F MK 56 - [[Hashimara]] (WC Chatrath)
*[[No. 37 Squadron IAF]] (''Black Panthers''): Hawker Hunter F MK 10 - Hashimara (WC Kaul)
*[[No. 24 Squadron IAF]] (''Hunting Hawks''): Folland Gnat [[Gauhati]] (WC Bhadwar)
*[[No. 28 Squadron IAF]] (''First Supersonics''): Mig 21FL Gauhati (WC Bishnu)
*[[No. 105 Helicopter Unit, IAF]] (Mi-4) and [[No. 121 Helicopter Flight, IAF]] (Alouette III) - Agartala

===[[Bangladesh Air Force]]: ''Kilo Flight'' ===
CO: [[Flight Lieutenant]] Sultan Mahmud HQ: [[Dimapur]], [[Nagaland]], then [[Agartala]] 
This unit was formed by Bengali pilots and technicians defecting from the [[Pakistan Air Force]]. Flying light aircraft donated by India, they launched attacks on depots and communication lines on 2 December 1971, before the start of the war. The unit relocated to Agartala and then Shamshernagar after 3 December 1971.

==See also==
* [[Pakistan Army order of battle, December 1971]]
* [[Evolution of Pakistan Eastern Command plan]]
* [[Military plans of the Bangladesh Liberation War]]
* [[Timeline of the Bangladesh Liberation War]]
* [[Indo-Pakistani wars and conflicts]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Sources==
*{{cite book | title = Witness to Surrender | year = 1997 | author = Salik, Siddiq | isbn = 984-05-1374-5 }}
*{{cite book | title = Surrender at Dacca: Birth of A Nation | year = 2004 | author = Jacob, Lt. Gen. JFR | publisher = The University Press Limited | isbn = 984-05-1532-2 }}
*{{cite book | title = The Indo Pak War of 1971: A Soldiers Narrative | year = 2003 | author = Qureshi, Maj. Gen. Hakeem Arshad | publisher = Oxford University Press | isbn = 0-19-579778-7 }}
*{{cite book | title = A Tale of Millions | year = 2006 | author = Islam, Major Rafiqul | publisher = Ananna | isbn = 984-412-033-0 }}

[[Category:Bangladesh Liberation War]]

Mitro Bahini order of battle - Revision history

Bot at 09:19, 17 December 2022