“We lost on the table”
The governor called the Shimla Agreement negotiations a strategic mistake
Himachal Pradesh Governor Kavinder Gupta has said that while India secured a decisive military victory in the 1971 war against Pakistan, the country lost strategically during the negotiations that followed, describing the Shimla Agreement table as a “grim reminder of mistakes” made by the then leadership.
In an exclusive interview, the governor reflected on the aftermath of the 1971 India-Pakistan war and the historic Shimla Agreement signed between the two countries in 1972.
“India won the war, but we lost it on the table. And that table is still lying in Lok Bhawan in Shimla, a grim reminder of mistakes that were committed then,” Gupta said.
“We could have taken anything from Pakistan”
Recalling India’s military success during the 1971 conflict, the governor pointed to the surrender of more than 90,000 Pakistani soldiers before the Indian Army under the leadership of General Jagjit Singh Aurora.
“Under the leadership of General Jagjit Singh Aurora, over 90,000 troops surrendered before the Indian Army. We had them in our grasp, but we let them go. We could have taken anything from Pakistan at that time,” he said.
The governor argued that India held enormous strategic leverage after the war and suggested that stronger conditions could have been imposed during negotiations.
“We had split Pakistan into two. When 90,000 Pakistani soldiers surrendered before you, any demand could have been met. Mistakes were indeed made,” Gupta added.
Reference to Army chief’s warning to Pakistan
The remarks come days after Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi issued a strong warning to Pakistan over terrorism and cross-border activities.
General Dwivedi had said that if Pakistan continued to harbour terrorists and carry out operations against India, it would have to decide “whether they want to be part of geography or history”.
Echoing the sentiment, Gupta said Pakistan had suffered defeat in every direct conflict with India.
“Whether it was 1965, 1971 or the Kargil War, every time Pakistan has bitten the dust,” he said.
“Somewhere, mistakes were made by us and we lost the battle on that table. And that table is still kept in Shimla’s Lok Bhawan. When such things come to mind, it feels that mistakes were made somewhere,” the governor added.
Governor calls for fuel conservation
Apart from national security issues, Gupta also spoke about fuel conservation and said he had personally reduced the size of his official convoy by over 50 per cent following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal.
He said he had written to the Himachal Pradesh chief minister requesting similar measures across government departments.
“Himachal has always stood shoulder-to-shoulder in times of national crisis. I am confident that the people of Himachal will stand with the prime minister’s appeal to conserve fuel,” Gupta said.
The governor added that instructions had been issued to minimise unnecessary use of official vehicles, including in educational institutions.
“The seven universities in Himachal have also been asked to reduce their vehicle size,” he said.
Governor compares fuel prices with Pakistan
Highlighting the importance of conserving fuel, Gupta compared fuel prices in India and Pakistan.
“In Pakistan, petrol is Rs 400 per litre while it is around Rs 100 per litre in India. We should abide by the Prime Minister’s appeal and make efforts to reduce fuel consumption,” he said.
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