The time-period of 1965-1969 contains the main POD for the timeline Tashkent Declaration and forms the basis for the rest of the timeline. The time period starts from 1 January, 1965 and ends on 31 December, 1969.
Timeline
1965
The Indo-Pakistani War began on 5 August and ended on 29 September in a decisive Indian victory following the capture of Lahore which was due to the delayed UN ceasefire. ATL the Indian High Command takes the decision to delay the ceasefire and is able to delay the ceasefire that the Security Council offered. During this delay of 6 days (the OTL War ended on 23 September), the Indian Army was able to capture Lahore on 25 September and advanced further into Pakistan along the Punjab-Rajasthan border. The Indian Army had the upper hand with twice the number of serviceable tanks as the Pakistan Army and with the Pakistan Army having depleted 80% of its ammunition reserves. The war ended on 29 September with the Indian Army having captured Lahore, Gujranwala, Sialkot and Mangla.
1966
The development of the Indian nuclear program accelerated under Homi J. Bhabha. OTL Homi Bhabha died in an air crash in the Swiss Alps, however ATL he was not present on that flight. Due to this the Indian Nuclear programme remained under Homi J. Bhabha. OTL the leadership had passed onto Vikram Sarabhai who had Gandhian beliefs and directed the programme towards peaceful purposes than weapons development. On the other hand Homi J. Bhabha had been aggressively lobbying for nuclear weapons development. The Tashkent Conference was held in Tashkent between Pakistan and India and was hosted by Soviet Premier Alexei Kosygin. The Tashkent Conference ended with the handing over of Pakistan occupied Kashmir to India. Jammu and Kashmir was now recognised as a part of India and Pakistan surrendered its claims on the region, in return it was given back the territories occupied by India in Pakistan Punjab. Major changes occurred in Indian foreign policy as it moved closer to the USSR.
Pakistan was humiliated by the defeat and the treaty. The Pakistani media had talked of Pakistani victories in the initial stages of the war. This invited the wrath of the Pakistani public against the government and the army. Country-wide riots engulfed Pakistan, especially West Pakistan. The Bengali Nationalist movement was growing in East Pakistan. The first minister to resign from the Pakistani Cabinet was Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, the then foreign minister of Pakistan who then established the Pakistan People's Party. Bhutto
1967
- The 3rd Arab-Israeli War started on June 5 and ended with Israel gaining control of the Sinai peninsula, the Gaza strip, the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights by the end of the war on 10 June. The War is also known as the Six-Days War.
- The Shastri-led Indian National Congress won the Indian general elections.
- Forces of the PRC infiltrated the Indian protectorate of Sikkim resulting in the 1967 Sino-Indian border skirmish ending with PRC forces being repulsed back.
1968
- India tested its first nuclear weapon.
- Ayub Khan was forced to resign as the President of Pakistan. Yahya Khan succeeded Ayub Khan and elections were scheduled.
1969
- Muammar Gaddafi overthrew the monarchy in Libya in a coup.