Jammu: Himachal Pradesh Governor Kavinder Gupta said India “won the war, but we lost it on the table,” calling the table used for the Shimla Agreement at Lok Bhawan a “grim reminder of mistakes” in an exclusive interview with NDTV. He argued that after the 1971 war India had the upper hand but did not press bargaining demands to their full extent.
Recalling the Indian Army’s success in 1971, Gupta said that under General Jagjit Singh Aurora more than 90,000 Pakistani troops surrendered. “We had them in our grasp, but we let them go. We could have taken anything from Pakistan at that time,” he said, adding that splitting Pakistan into two left India in a position to make significant demands that were not pursued.
Gupta’s remarks came days after Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi warned Pakistan that continued support for terrorists and cross-border operations would force the country to “choose whether it wants to remain part of geography or become part of history,” a warning Gupta echoed in tone. He also asserted that Pakistan has been defeated in earlier conflicts: “Whether it was 1965, 1971 or the Kargil War, every time Pakistan has bitten the dust.”
Reiterating his criticism of post-war negotiations, Gupta said the Shimla table sitting in Lok Bhawan is a symbol of those missed opportunities. “Somewhere, mistakes were made by us and we lost the battle on that table,” he said.
On fuel conservation, Gupta noted Prime Minister Narendra Modi has cut the size of his cavalcade by more than 50 percent and said he has written to the Himachal chief minister requesting a similar reduction. He said all government departments have been instructed to avoid unnecessary vehicle use and that the state’s seven universities have been asked to reduce their vehicle fleets.
Framing the appeal in economic terms, Gupta cited a price difference with 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, urging citizens and institutions to conserve fuel in the national interest.
Original Source: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/shimla-agreement-table-stays-as-reminder-of-mistakes-himachal-pradesh-governor-kavinder-gupta-11509368#publisher=newsstand
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Publish Date: 2026-05-18 00:12:00
