Indians, at 0300 hours on the morning of 6 September, launched the invasion of West Pakistan.Their main advance on three axes, with the major thrust along the Grand Trunk Road, was aimed at capturing Lahore. Simultaneously the border was crossed with lighter forces at Kasur south of Lahore, and Jassar in the northeast, with the aim of thinning out the smaller Pak forces to establish numerical superiority and inflict a quick defeat on Pakistan. The attack on Jassar was to prove a feint to draw out the forces defending the Sialkot area, which two days later was to witness the Indians' main armoured onslaught. The Indian plan to settle scores with Pakistan was cleverly conceived. There was no doubt that Prime Minister Shastri wished to satisfy, that very evening, the cravings of his people as represented in Parliament, with an announcement of the highest importance. Confidence reigned supreme as the substance of his proposed statement leaked out. The 'Statesman' of New Delhi came Out with a special supplement proclaiming the fall of Lahore, and even the BBC was to broadcast the news. Having asked his officers to wine with him at the Gymkhana Club in Lahore that evening, the Indian Army C-in-C, General Choudhry, was to deny subsequently that they had any intention of capturing Lahore. An Indian weekly was later to lament "it is incredible how our political and military leadership continues to harp on the fact that it was not intended to occupy Lahore and Sialkot". Certainly it could not be said that the Indian attack was in the main dictated by defensive considerations. The Indian action seemed designed not merely to relieve pressure on Jammu/Akhnur but to defeat the Pakistan armed forces, to capture rapidly as much of Pakistan's territory as possible and to bring about the immediate collapse of West Pakistan by physically dividing it into two. Whether the Indian soldier believed in the wisdom or justification of war with Pakistan, there is no doubt that he fought well. That he did not succeed is a fine tribute to the fighting men of Pakistan, backed by the nation's will to resist.

At the start, when action was confined to the Rangers, it was not very clear to Pak Army whether this was a border duel or an all-out war. It was not long however before there was no doubt about Indian intentions, as the Pak Army struggled to meet the onslaught from hastily prepared positions. With great tenacity and tremendous courage the Pak troops, heavily outnumbered, fought for hours on end without rest and with no hope of replacements; their gallantry certainly helped avert a disaster for Pakistan.