The Tashkent Declaration is an agreement signed on January 10, 1966, between India and Pakistan, following the 1965 Indo-Pakistan War. The declaration was signed in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, by the Indian Prime Minister, Lal Bahadur Shastri, and the Pakistani President, Ayub Khan. The declaration aimed to normalize the relationship between the two countries and resolve their differences through peaceful means.
Tashkent Declaration
The 1965 war was fought between India and Pakistan over the disputed region of Kashmir. The conflict started on August 5, 1965, when Pakistani troops crossed the Line of Control (LoC) and entered Indian-administered Kashmir. India responded with a full-scale military operation, and the war lasted for 17 days. The war ended with a ceasefire agreement on September 22, 1965, brokered by the Soviet Union.
After the ceasefire, both India and Pakistan agreed to hold peace talks to resolve their differences. The Soviet Union offered to mediate the talks, and Tashkent was chosen as the venue. The talks were held from January 4-10, 1966, and resulted in the signing of the Tashkent Declaration.
The Tashkent Declaration had six points, which aimed to normalize relations between the two countries and establish a lasting peace. The six points were as follows:
- Both sides agreed to cease hostilities and maintain the ceasefire in accordance with the UN Charter.
- Both sides agreed to withdraw their forces to their pre-war positions and respect the LoC.
- Both sides agreed to resolve their differences through peaceful means and avoid the use of force.
- Both sides agreed to respect each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
- Both sides agreed to promote economic and cultural cooperation.
- Both sides agreed to resume diplomatic relations and exchange ambassadors.
The Tashkent Declaration was seen as a significant step towards peace between India and Pakistan, as it ended the hostilities and paved the way for normalization of relations. However, the declaration was not without controversy. Many in India criticized the declaration, claiming that India had made too many concessions to Pakistan. This criticism was amplified by the sudden death of Lal Bahadur Shastri in Tashkent, just a few hours after the signing of the declaration.
Despite the controversy, the Tashkent Declaration marked a turning point in India-Pakistan relations. It set the stage for further peace talks, and in 1972, India and Pakistan signed the Simla Agreement, which reaffirmed the principles of the Tashkent Declaration and established a framework for resolving disputes through bilateral talks. Today, the Tashkent Declaration is recognized as an important milestone in the history of India-Pakistan relations and a symbol of the importance of peaceful coexistence between neighboring countries.
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