Operation Bison (Jammu & Kashmir 1948)

{{about|the operation in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947-1948|the French Army operation in Chad in 1969–1972|Opération Bison}}{{Infobox military conflict

| conflict = Operation Bison/Duck

| place = Kashmir

| date = 1 November 1948 – 24 November 1948

| result = Operation Duck:- Operational failure
Operation Bison:- Operational Success

| territory = India captures Zoji-La Pass and Kargil

| combatant1 = {{flagicon|India}} India

| combatant2 = {{flagicon|Pakistan}} Pakistan

| casualties1 = 75 killed
296 wounded
3 tanks destroyed

| casualties2 = 154 killed
191 wounded

| strength1 = 3,000 troops
30 tanks
90 artillery

| strength2 = Fewer than 1,000 troops

| units1 = {{flagicon|India}} 77th Brigade
{{flagicon|India}} 7th Light Cavalry

| units2 = Unknown

| commander1 = {{flagicon|India}} Lt. Gen. K. M. Cariappa
{{flagicon|India}} Brig. Atal

| commander2 = Unknown

| image =

}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}

Operation Bison is the codename of the assault and capture of Zoji La, Dras and Kargil district in Ladakh by the Indian Army during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947-1948.{{cite book |title=Operation Rescue:Military Operations in Jammu & Kashmir 1947-49|last=Sinha |first=Lt. Gen. S.K. |year=1977 |publisher=Vision Books |location=New Delhi |isbn=81-7094-012-5 |pages=103–127|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SMwBAAAAMAAJ |access-date=4 August 2010}}

Zoji La had been seized by Pakistani raiders in 1948 in their campaign to capture Ladakh. The pass was recaptured by Indian forces on 1 November in a daring assault, which achieved success primarily due to the surprise use of armour, then the highest altitude at which armour had operated in combat in the world.

Initially, an unsuccessful attack was launched by the 77th Parachute Brigade (Brig Atal) to capture Zoji La. Operation Duck, the earlier name for this assault, was renamed as Operation Bison by Lt Gen Cariappa, the Western Army commander. M5 Stuart light tanks of the 7th Cavalry regiment were moved in dismantled condition through Srinagar and winched across bridges while two field companies of the Madras Sappers converted the mule track from Baltal up the Zoji La to Gumri into a jeep track. The surprise attack on 1 November by the brigade with armour supported by two regiments of 25 pounders and a regiment of 3.7 inch guns, saw the Pakistanis being surprised. The pass was forced and the raider column pushed back to Matayan and later Dras. The brigade linked up on 24 November at Kargil with Indian troops advancing from Leh while the Pakistanis eventually withdrew northwards toward Skardu.