Complete Set of 3 nos of commemorative postage stamps on the Valour and Sacrifice made by the Indian Armed Forces in Indo–Pakistani War of 1965 :

Issued by India

Issued on Sep 15, 2015

Issued for : The Department of Posts is pleased to release a set of three Stamps on the Army, Navy and Air Force, along with a First Day Cover and Brochure, to honour the valour and courage of the soldiers of Armed Forces of 1965 war.

Design : The Stamps depict the spirit and resoluteness of purpose displayed by the three wings of Indian Armed Forces during the 1965 war.

Credits :
Stamp/FDC/Cancellation : Nenu Gupta

Type : Stamps, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi colour

Denomination : 500 Paise each

Stamps Printed : 0.6 Million x 3 Stamps

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : Security Printing Press, Hyderabad

About : 

• Honour, selfless service and the spirit of sacrifice are ingrained tenets of the Indian Armed Forces, preserved as part of their glorious tradition, enabling them to acquit themselves commendably both in war and peace. In the face of grave personal danger, the Indian Soldier, Sailor and Air Warrior has never hesitated in making the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty, a fact that has been evident throughout the history of our Nation, in the face of many challenges faced. One such example of valour of soldiers of Armed Forces was witnessed in 1965, wherein our Armed Forces exhibited tremendous grit, determination and fortitude, living up to the faith reposed in them by the Indian Nation and its leaders.
  
• Right from October 1947, when it engineered a tribal invasion to capture Kashmir, Pakistan had chosen to follow a path of conflict with India and sought to achieve by war what it could not achieve through diplomacy. In August and September of 1965, the Indian Armed Forces were put to test by Pakistan for a second time, when Pakistan forces attacked Kutch in Western India. Subsequent skirmishes in the Kashmir valley by infiltrators, were designed to surprise the Indian Armed Forces. The incursions at the end of August and an all-out attack by Pakistani armour in the Chhamb area of Jammu Province later, was with the obvious objective of cutting the Jammu-Srinagar highway.
  
• Having launched Op Gibraltar and Op Grand Slam, the Pakistan Armed Forces were confident of quick success. The Indian Armed Forces, despite being lightly equipped in all sectors, fought valiantly in the true spirit of the Indian Soldier, with resilience to adversity. The Pakistan Armed Forces were in for a rude shock when operations by Indian Armed Forces brought their offensive in both the Western and Eastern Sectors to a screeching halt. This was achieved through leadership and adroit application of operational art. The timely entry of the Air Force into the conflict provided additional impetus that eventually stalled Pakistan’s nefarious designs, especially in the Chhamb–Jaurian Sector.
  
• Significant endeavours of the Indian Armed Forces during the 1965 War were the capture of Hajipir, blunting of the Pakistani offensive in Chhamb–Jaurian, Battle of Asal Uttar, the Ichhogil Canal operations and the advance onto Lahore. The tank battles of 1965 take their place in annals of military history as the most intense ones used since World War II. On 10^th September 1965, the Indian Armed Forces stuck a massive blow to the armada of Pakistani tanks when the offensive of Pakistan’s 1^st Armoured Division was blunted at the Battle of Asal Uttar, in the Khemkaran Sector.
  
• Poised against the Pakistani Air Force which was equipped with a much more ‘modern’ inventory of fighter aircraft, the Indian Air Force (IAF) responded with alacrity to the call for air support, and succeeded in thwarting the Pakistani offensive. The IAF proved its mettle in each of the operations carried out, both in the Western as well as the Eastern Sector. The grit and valour displayed by our Air Warriors was yet another glorious chapter in the history of the IAF.
  
• The Indian fleet was deployed to ensure defence of the Western and eastern Coasts and the island territories. Given the Government’s determination to limit the scope of the conflict as much as possible, the Indian Fleet flying the flag of Rear Admiral BA Samson on-board INS Mysore, remained vigilant and carried out intensive patrols and sweeps within India’s continental shelf. The Alize and Seahawk aircraft of the Indian Navy carried out sorties from 10 Sep – 23 Sep 1965 for maritime surveillance. By these actions Pakistan navy was ensconced in Karachi.
  
• The sacrifices of the 1965 War are preserved in the collective bravery displayed by the Indian Armed Forces, possible largely because of the ardent support of the entire Nation. The valour of the soldiers has been recognised through the award of 16 Battle Honours and three Theatre Honours, two PVCs besides numerous MVCs, VrCs and Mentions-in-Despatches. The heroism of CQMH Abdul Hamid and Lt Col AB Tarapore, who were posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra will live on in the glorious history of our nation.
  
• The sacrifices of the Indian Armed Forces in 1965 is testimony to the credo that the Safety, Honour and Welfare of the country comes first, always, and every time, for the Indian Armed Forces.
  
• Text : Based on the material provided by the proponent.

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