%3Cstrong%3EBackground%3C/strong%3E

When%20India%20became%20a%20sovereign%20independent%20nation%20in%201947%2C%20the%20two%20small%20pockets%20of%20Portuguese%20territory%20on%20the%20West%20Coast%2C%20Goa%20and%20Diu-Daman%2C%20became%20anachronisms.%20It%20was%20hoped%20that%20the%20Portuguese%20themselves%20would%20solve%20this%20problem%20gracefully%2C%20as%20the%20French%20had%20done%20in%20the%20case%20of%20their%20possessions.%26nbsp%3B

However%2C%20since%20the%20Portuguese%20had%20made%20no%20move%20to%20rationalise%20the%20position%20even%20as%20late%20as%201960%2C%20the%20then%20PM%20Jawaharlal%20Nehru%20ordered%20a%20brief%20military%20operation%20codenamed%20%27Operation%20Vijay%27%20in%20December%2C%201961%2C%20that%20lasted%20for%2036%20hours.%26nbsp%3B

%3Cstrong%3EAlso%20Read%20%7C%20%3C/strong%3E%3Ca%20target%3D%22_blank%22%20rel%3D%22noopener%20noreferrer%22%20href%3D%22https%3A//opoyi.com/dealing-with-china-and-pakistans-threat-to-indias-national-security%22%3E%3Cstrong%3EDealing%20with%20China%20and%20Pakistan%27s%20threat%20to%20India%27s%20national%20security%3C/strong%3E%3C/a%3E

59%20years%20down%20the%20memory%20lane%2C%20the%20nation%20must%20remember%20that%20this%20holiday%20destination%20of%20India%20came%20at%20a%20price%20of%20blood%20and%20valour.%20It%u2019s%20an%20important%20part%20of%20the%20glorious%20Indian%20military%20history%2C%20which%20must%20not%20get%20buried%20for%20future%20generations.

Many%20precious%20Indian%20lives%20were%20sacrificed%20on%20the%20battlefield.%20It%20entailed%20a%20little%20known%20first%20tri-service%20operation%20post-independence.%20After%20non-stop%20land%2C%20air%2C%20and%20naval%20strikes%2C%20Goa%20was%20freed%20following%20an%20intense%2C%2036-hour%20battle%20from%20December%2017%20to%2019%2C%201961%2C%20and%20the%20then%20Governor-General%20Manuel%20Antonio%20Vassalo%20e%20Silva%20was%20forced%20to%20sign%20the%20surrender%20document%20on%20December%2019%2C%201961.

%3Cstrong%3ELand%20Battle%3C/strong%3E

On%20December%2011%2C%201961%2C%20the%2017th%20Infantry%20Division%20and%20attached%20troops%20of%20the%20Indian%20Army%20were%20ordered%20to%20advance%20into%20Goa%20to%20capture%20Panaji%20and%20Mormug%E3o.%20The%20main%20thrust%20on%20Panaji%20was%20to%20be%20made%20by%20the%2050th%20Para%20Brigade%20Group%2C%20led%20by%20Brigadier%20Sagat%20Singh%20from%20the%20north.%26nbsp%3B

Another%20thrust%20was%20to%20be%20carried%20out%20by%2063rd%20Indian%20Infantry%20Brigade%20from%20the%20east.%20A%20deceptive%20thrust%2C%20in%20company%20strength%2C%20was%20to%20be%20made%20from%20the%20south%20along%20the%20Majali-Canacona-Margao%20axis.

Hostilities%20at%20Goa%20began%20on%20December%2017%2C%201961%2C%20when%20Indian%20troops%20attacked%20and%20occupied%20the%20town%20of%20Maulingu%E9m%20in%20the%20north%20east.%20The%20Portuguese%202nd%20EREC%20%28esquadr%E3o%20de%20reconhecimento%u2014reconnaissance%20squadron%29%2C%20was%20stationed%20near%20Maulingu%E9m.%26nbsp%3B

On%20December%2018%2C%20the%20Indian%20assault%20commenced%20on%20Portuguese%20positions%20south%20of%20Maulingu%E9m%20and%20Bicholim%20with%20three%20columns%20of%20%26nbsp%3B50th%20Para%20Brigade%20of%20the%20Indian%20Army%20moving%20into%20Goa.%20At%208%20pm%20on%20December%2018%2C%20a%20Goan%20by%20the%20name%20of%20Greg%F3rio%20Magno%20Ant%E3o%20crossed%20the%20Mandovi%20River%20from%20Panaji%20and%20delivered%20a%20ceasefire%20offer%20letter%20from%20Major%20Ac%E1cio%20Tenreiro%20of%20the%20Portuguese%20Army%20to%20Major%20Shivdev%20Singh%20Sidhu%2C%20of%20the%20Indian%207th%20Light%20Cavalry%20camped%20there.

The%20letter%20read%3A%20%22The%20Military%20Commander%20of%20the%20City%20of%20Goa%20states%20that%20he%20wishes%20to%20parley%20with%20the%20commander%20of%20the%20army%20of%20the%20Indian%20Union%20concerning%20the%20surrender.%20Under%20these%20conditions%2C%20the%20Portuguese%20troops%20must%20immediately%20cease-fire%20and%20the%20Indian%20troops%20do%20likewise%20to%20prevent%20the%20slaughter%20of%20the%20population%20and%20the%20destruction%20of%20the%20city.%22

%3Cstrong%3EAlso%20Read%20%7C%3C/strong%3E%20%3Ca%20target%3D%22_blank%22%20rel%3D%22noopener%20noreferrer%22%20href%3D%22https%3A//opoyi.com/indias-security-challenges-how-to-build-a-strong-military-and-learn-from-past-mistakes%22%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndia%27s%20security%20challenges%3A%20How%20to%20build%20a%20strong%20military%20and%20learn%20from%20past%20mistakes%3C/strong%3E%3C/a%3E

The%20same%20night%20Major%20Shivdev%20Singh%20Sidhu%20with%20a%20force%20of%20the%207th%20Cavalry%20decided%20to%20take%20Fort%20Aguada%20and%20obtain%20its%20surrender%2C%20after%20receiving%20information%20that%20several%20supporters%20of%20the%20Indian%20Republic%20were%20held%20prisoners%20there.%26nbsp%3B

However%2C%20the%20Portuguese%20defenders%20of%20the%20fort%20had%20not%20yet%20received%20orders%20to%20surrender%20and%20responded%20by%20opening%20fire%20on%20the%20Indian%20forces%2C%20Major%20Sidhu%20and%20Captain%20Vinod%20Sehgal%20being%20killed%20in%20the%20firefight.%20In%20a%20touching%20gesture%2C%20a%20Goan%20lady%20stepped%20up%20and%20laid%20wreaths%20on%20the%20mortal%20remains%20during%20the%20military%20funeral.

Panjim%20had%20surrendered%20on%20the%20evening%20of%2018%20Dec%201961%20because%20of%20the%20appearance%20of%20Tanks%20at%20Betim%20that%20day%2C%20coming%20from%20a%20totally%20unexpected%20Direction%20in%20record%20time.%20The%20speedy%20follow%20up%20of%20infantry%20was%20possible%20because%20of%20the%20swift%20progress%20of%20tanks%20and%20the%20high%20standard%20of%20training%20cum%20motivation%20of%207th%20Light%20Cavalry.

Major%20General%20KP%20Candeth%2C%20GOC%2017%20Infantry%20Division%2C%20who%20became%20the%20Governor%20of%20Goa%2C%20told%20the%20then%20Commandant%207th%20Light%20Cavalry%20later%20%u201CIt%27s%20our%20pleasure%20and%20good%20fortune%20to%20have%20your%20gallant%20Regiment%20with%20us.%20All%20of%20you%2C%20individually%20and%20collectively%20have%20left%20a%20good%20and%20happy%20impression%20of%20our%20mutual%20association.%20I%20do%20hope%20history%20will%20record%20this%20day.%u201D

The%20order%20for%20Indian%20forces%20to%20cross%20the%20Mandovi%20River%20was%20received%20on%20the%20morning%20of%2019%20December%2C%20upon%20which%20two%20rifle%20companies%20of%20the%202nd%20Sikh%20Light%20Infantry%20advanced%20on%20Panaji%20and%20secured%20the%20town%20without%20facing%20any%20resistance.%20Fort%20Aguada%20was%20also%20captured%20on%20that%20day%2C%20by%20Indian%207th%20Cavalry%20attacked%20who%20also%20freed%20its%20political%20prisoners.%20Goa%20land%20operations%20were%20terminated%20on%20December%2019%2C%201961%20with%20the%20surrender%20of%20the%20Portuguese.

%3Cstrong%3EAlso%20Read%20%7C%3C/strong%3E%20%3Ca%20target%3D%22_blank%22%20rel%3D%22noopener%20noreferrer%22%20href%3D%22https%3A//opoyi.com/strategic-security-unease-of-2020-may-translate-into-a-flared-up-2021%22%3E%3Cstrong%3EStrategic%20security%3A%20Unease%20of%202020%20may%20translate%20into%20a%20flared-up%202021%3C/strong%3E%3C/a%3E

%3Cstrong%3EAir%20Battle%3C/strong%3E

The%20Indian%20Air%20Force%20used%20lightweight%20Canberra%20bombers%20and%20Vampire%20aircraft%20for%20air%20raids%20against%20Goa%20commencing%20December%2018%2C%201961%20destroying%20the%20Dabolim%20runway.%20In%20line%20with%20the%20mandate%20given%20by%20the%20Air%20Command%2C%20structures%20and%20facilities%20at%20the%20airfield%20were%20left%20undamaged.%20The%20IAF%20action%20significantly%20contributed%20to%20the%20success%20of%20the%20land%20and%20naval%20battle.%20Indeed%2C%20the%20synergetic%20effect%20of%20Land%2C%20air%20and%20sea%20battle%20lead%20to%20the%20collapse%20of%20the%20Portuguese%20in%20a%20record%20time%20of%2036%20hours.%20A%20lesson%20of%20the%20importance%20of%20joint%20operations%20that%20the%20Indian%20Defence%20Forces%20will%20do%20well%20to%20imbibe.

%3Cstrong%3ENaval%20Battle%3C/strong%3E

The%20Indian%20Naval%20Command%20was%20assigned%20the%20task%20of%20securing%20Anjidiv%20to%20the%20cruiser%20INS%20Mysore%20and%20the%20frigate%20INS%20Trishul.%20Under%20covering%20artillery%20fire%20from%20the%20ships%2C%20Indian%20marines%20stormed%20the%20island%20on%20December%2018%20and%20engaged%20the%20Portuguese%20garrison.%26nbsp%3B

The%20assault%20was%20repulsed%20by%20the%20Portuguese%20defenders%2C%20with%20seven%20Indian%20marines%20killed%20and%2019%20wounded.%20Among%20the%20Indian%20casualties%20were%20two%20officers.%20The%20Portuguese%20defences%20were%20eventually%20overrun%20after%20fierce%20shelling%20from%20the%20Indian%20ships%20offshore.%20The%20island%20was%20secured%20by%20the%20Indians%20on%20December%2019%2C%201961%20and%20Portuguese%20captured.%26nbsp%3B

Naval%20battle%20at%20Mormug%E3o%20harbour%20also%20commenced%20on%20December%2C%2018%2C%201961.%20The%20Portuguese%20ship%20NRP%20Afonso%20de%20Albuquerque%20was%20anchored%20off%20Mormugao%20Harbour.%26nbsp%3B

Besides%20engaging%20Indian%20naval%20units%2C%20the%20ship%20was%20also%20tasked%20with%20providing%20a%20coastal%20artillery%20battery%20to%20defend%20the%20harbour%20and%20adjoining%20beaches%20and%20providing%20vital%20radio%20communications%20with%20Lisbon%20after%20on-shore%20radio%20facilities%20had%20been%20destroyed%20in%20Indian%20airstrikes.

The%20same%20day%20three%20Indian%20frigates%20led%20by%20the%20INS%20Betwa%20took%20up%20position%20off%20the%20harbour%2C%20attacked%20the%20Afonso%20who%20resisted%20with%20fire%20fiercely.%20Indian%20planes%20too%20bombed%20Mormug%E3o%20harbour.%20INS%20Betwa%20was%20also%20transmitting%20requests%20to%20surrender%20in%20morse%20code%20between%20shots.%20%26nbsp%3B

Afonso%20was%20outnumbered%20by%20the%20Indians%2C%20and%20was%20at%20a%20severe%20disadvantage%20since%20it%20was%20in%20a%20confined%20position%20that%20restricted%20its%20manoeuvring%2C%20yet%20fired%20over%20400%20rounds%20in%20retaliation.%26nbsp%3B%20Eventually%2C%20after%20the%20Afonso%20had%20taken%20severe%20damage%2C%20the%20order%20was%20given%20to%20start%20abandoning%20ship%20and%20the%20naval%20battle%20won%20by%20Indian%20Navy%20on%20December%2019%2C%201961.

%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23Goa%22%20data-user-id%3D%22DAo31YRaNfNi%22%20href%3D%22/topic/goa%22%3E%23Goa%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23India%22%20data-user-id%3D%22Bq4MmUPrXF8p%22%20href%3D%22/topic/india%22%3E%23India%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23Portugal%22%20data-user-id%3D%22QPQ5hKigPBHg%22%20href%3D%22/topic/portugal%22%3E%23Portugal%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23IndianNavy%22%20data-user-id%3D%22mKo5iXZuCpLn%22%20href%3D%22/topic/indian-navy%22%3E%23IndianNavy%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23IndianArmy%22%20data-user-id%3D%22JFCaXasNDaLt%22%20href%3D%22/topic/indian-army%22%3E%23IndianArmy%3C/a%3E%20%26nbsp%3B