Following the intervention of US President Donald Trump, India and Pakistan have agreed to a ceasefire, putting an end to a phase of high-intensity military clashes. Both countries are now evaluating the losses and trying to come to terms with the war’s after-effects. The remains of Indian soldiers and officers who were martyred in Pakistani firing are being repatriated to their families.
Amidst this, Indira Gandhi’s name is being remembered across the nation. The former Indian Prime Minister stands as a towering figure who defied American influence, especially in times of conflict, and made decisions that changed the course of history.
Unlike the present ceasefire, which was announced globally by Trump, the 1971 conflict between India and Pakistan was marked by Indira Gandhi’s firm stance. At that time, Pakistan was committing atrocities in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), and civilians were fleeing over the border into India. At that time, US President Richard Nixon attempted to intervene, sending a message to Indira Gandhi to visit Washington for negotiations, hoping to achieve a diplomatic solution. But Nixon’s disregard for Gandhi, such as waiting her out for 45 minutes and not broaching the topic of East Pakistan, only reinforced her determination.
In response, Indira Gandhi stood firm and refused to compromise, and the result was the creation of Bangladesh as an independent nation. Pakistan’s defeat was clear when 91,000 Pakistani soldiers surrendered to Indian forces. Despite America’s support for Pakistan, Gandhi’s leadership, along with Russia’s alliance with India, ensured that India’s sovereignty and its regional security were upheld.
Cut to 2025, and the ongoing ceasefire is brokered by Donald Trump, who went on to again raise the question of Kashmir. India has however made it explicit that Kashmir is an internal issue, and external intervention will not be accepted.
This shift has led some, like Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, to reflect on the contrast between the two eras. Tharoor noted that while Indira Gandhi’s 1971 victory was a landmark achievement, the circumstances today are vastly different. His statements about the current situation in Pakistan and Balochistan have caused a stir on social media, where some feel disillusioned by the lack of decisive action to resolve long-standing issues like Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
While most on social media look back nostalgically at the bold actions of Indira Gandhi in 1971, there is a feeling that the present leadership might not possess the same determination to redraw the map of the subcontinent. However, as Shashi Tharoor and others have pointed out, choices are made on the basis of the given situation and possible outcomes, rather than public opinion.
Trump’s intervention, although credited with averting further bloodshed, also highlights the difference between the past and the present. Trump himself has accepted the devastation that would have been caused if the conflict had not stopped, but the real lesson is in the unbreakable spirit of Indira Gandhi, whose choices have determined India’s resilience and strength in adversity. Now, as the ceasefire continues to hold, the people still recall Indira Gandhi, a leader who knew how to take strong decisions during a crisis.