Operation Gibraltar was a covert military operation launched by Pakistan in 1965 to incite a mass rebellion among Kashmiri Muslims and weaken India’s control over the region.
The operation was named Operation Gibraltar to motivate its soldiers, by symbolising it with the Muslim conquest of Spain in 711 AD, when a small Muslim force crossed Gibraltar and successfully took control of large parts of Spain
Reasons for Operation GibraltarÂ
- Operation Gibraltar was based on Pakistan’s belief that India was militarily and politically weakened after the 1962 Sino-Indian War and would be unable to respond effectively to a limited infiltration.
- Pakistan assumed that discontent among the Kashmiri population would translate into mass support for infiltrators, leading to a spontaneous rebellion against Indian administration.
- A limited covert operation could internationalise the Kashmir issue without triggering a full-scale war.
Operation Gibraltar StrategyÂ
Under Operation Gibraltar, Pakistani soldiers infiltrated into Kashmir disguised as locals. The infiltrators were organised into groups with code names such as Salahuddin, Ghaznavi, Tariq, Babur and Khalid, each assigned to operate in specific regions of Kashmir. Their tasks included sabotage of bridges and communication networks, attacks on Indian military installations, spreading propaganda, and provoking unrest among the local population.
Operation Gibraltar OutcomeÂ
- Operation Gibraltar failed as local Kashmiris did not revolt and instead informed the Army and the police about the presence of Pakistani infiltrators.
- Indian security forces detected the infiltration at an early stage, captured or eliminated a large number of infiltrators, and quickly regained control over affected areas. In response to the infiltration, India launched military counter-operations across the Line of Control, expanding the conflict beyond Kashmir.
- Pakistan escalated the situation by launching Operation Grand Slam in the Akhnoor sector, which further intensified hostilities.
- These developments resulted in the outbreak of the full-scale Indo-Pak War of 1965, involving large-scale conventional military engagement on both eastern and western fronts.
The war ended with a ceasefire mediated by the Soviet Union and formalised through the Tashkent Agreement in January 1966, restoring the pre-war territorial status quo.
Operation Gibraltar FAQs
Q1: What was Operation Gibraltar?
Ans: Operation Gibraltar was a secret military operation launched by Pakistan in 1965 to destabilise Indian control over Jammu and Kashmir by encouraging an internal revolt.
Q2: What was the main objective of the operation?
Ans: The primary objective was to infiltrate armed personnel into Kashmir, provoke popular unrest, and internationalise the Kashmir issue without triggering a full-scale war.
Q3: Why was it named Operation Gibraltar?
Ans: It was named after the 711 AD Muslim conquest of Gibraltar to symbolise the belief that a small, covert force could trigger a large-scale political and military change in Kashmir.
Q4: What was the outcome of Operation Gibraltar?
Ans: The operation failed as no mass uprising occurred, infiltrators were detected by Indian forces, and the situation escalated into the Indo-Pak War of 1965.
Q5: What is the Tashkent Agreement?
Ans: The Tashkent Agreement (1966) was a peace agreement signed by India and Pakistan after the 1965 war, under Soviet mediation, in which both sides agreed to withdraw troops and restore pre-war positions.
