New Delhi: It can be unarguably said that Lal Bahadur Shastri, who was the Prime Minister India from 1964 to 1966, was one of the greatest to have graced the office. During his tenure as the PM, he left behind a profound impact through steps like the White Revolution and the Green Revolution, leading to increased supply of milk and food grains in the country. His famous slogan ‘Jai Jawan Jai Kisan’ reverberates even today throughout the country. The Tashkent Declaration is also one of his lasting legacies, which brought the 1965 India-Pakistan War to a formal end. Today, on his death anniversary, we will take a look at the landmark Tashkent Declaration and its significance.
What is the Tashkent Declaration?
The Tashkent Declaration is an accord signed on January 10, 1966, by PM Lal Bahadur Shastri and then Pakistan President Mohammad Ayub Khan. It formally ended the war between India and Pakistan which took place from August 1965 to September 1965. On September 22 that year, the UN Security Council had secured a cease-fire between the two countries. Notably, Shastri died on the next day after signing the Tashkent Declaration.
Why is it called Tashkent Declaration?
The name Tashkent Declaration has been derived from the place where the meeting was hosted. It took place in Tashkent, which was the located in Soviet Union and is today the capital and largest city of Uzbekistan. The meeting took place from January 4 to January 10, 1966, to create a more permanent settlement between the warring sides. Soviet Premier Aleksei Kosygin served as the moderator between PM Shastri and Muhammad Ayub Khan.
What did the Tashkent Declaration entail?
In the Tashkent Declaration, PM Shastri and President Khan declared their firm resolve to restore normalcy and peace between the two countries and to promote understanding and friendly relations between their peoples. Both the leaders considered the attainment of these objectives important for the welfare of the common people of both nations.
To ensure lasting peace between India and Pakistan, the Tashkent Declaration stated that the Indian military and the Pakistani military would pull back to their pre-conflict positions and neither would interfere in the internal affairs of each other. Also, it aimed to restore economic and diplomatic relations between the two nations and that both leaders would work to improve bilateral relations.
What was its impact in India and Pakistan?
In India, the success of the Tashkent Declaration was marred by the death of PM Shastri on January 11, 1966 and his death, which was attributed to cardiac arrest, resulted in controversy. There have been many conspiracy theories about his death and 13 days later, India’s foremost nuclear scientist, Homi Bhabha died in a plane crash, which fueled the conspiracy theories.
In Pakistan, the agreement was criticised and it was opposed by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who was then the foreign minister. Ayub Khan went into seclusion as the country was engulfed in demonstrations and riots. On January 14, 1966, Khan addressed the nation and explained the rationale behind the agreement. However, it greatly damaged his reputation and led to his downfall in 1969.
The Tashkent Declaration, signed in 1966 by Lal Bahadur Shastri and Ayub Khan, formally ended the 1965 India-Pakistan War. The agreement aimed to restore peace, normalise relations, and prevent future conflicts. However, Shastri’s death fueled controversy, while in Pakistan, the agreement faced criticism and contributed to political instability. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
