March 26, 1971 – December 16, 1971
East Pakistan declares independence as Bangladesh; after nine months of war and Indian intervention, Pakistani forces surrender in Dhaka.
A tropical cyclone strikes East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), killing an estimated 300,000 to 500,000 people, one of the deadliest natural disasters of the 20th century.
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declares a national emergency, suspending elections and civil liberties until 1977.
China and India fight a Himalayan border war over Aksai Chin and present-day Arunachal Pradesh, ending in a unilateral Chinese ceasefire.
A 26-year armed conflict between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) ends in the LTTE's defeat.
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is shot dead by two Sikh bodyguards in New Delhi after Operation Blue Star, triggering anti-Sikh riots.
A methyl isocyanate gas leak from the Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal kills thousands, the world's worst industrial disaster.