Annexation of Goa

Annexation of Goa
	Part of decolonisation of Asia and Cold war
	; Location of the Union Territory of Daman and Diu and state of Goa in present-day India
Date	17–19 December 1961; (2 days)
Location	Goa, Daman and Diu, Portuguese India; (incl. surrounding sea and airspace);
Result	Decisive Indian victory
Territorial; changes	Incorporation of the Portuguese colonial territories of Goa, Daman and Diu into the Republic of India
Belligerents
India	Portugal
Commanders and leaders
Rajendra Prasad; (President of India); Jawaharlal Nehru; (Prime Minister of India); V. K. Krishna Menon; (Minister of Defence); VAdm R. D. Katari; (Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee and ; Chief of the Naval Staff); Gen. P. N. Thapar; (Chief of the Army Staff); Indian Air Force AM A. M. Engineer; (Chief of the Air Staff); Lt. Gen. J. N. Chaudhuri; (GOC-in-C, Southern Command); Rear admiral B. S. Soman; (Flag Officer Commanding Indian Fleet); AVM Erlic Pinto; (AOC-in-C, Operational Command); Maj. Gen. K. P. Candeth; (GOC, 17th Infantry Division);	Américo Tomás ; (President of Portugal); António Salazar ; (Prime Minister of Portugal); Adriano Moreira; (Minister of the Overseas Provinces); M. A. Vassalo e Silva; (Governor-General);
Strength
45,000 infantry; M4 Sherman tanks and armoured cars; 1 light aircraft carrier; 2 light cruisers; 1 destroyer; 8 frigates; 4 minesweepers; 20 Canberra medium bombers; 6 Vampire fighters; 6 Toofani fighter-bombers; 6 Hunter multi-role aircraft; 4 Mystère fighter-bombers ; T-6 Texan aircraft	3,500 military personnel; 1 sloop; 3 inshore patrol boats
Casualties and losses
22 killed	30 killed; 57 wounded; 1 sloop lost; 1 patrol boat sunk; 4,668 captured;

The Annexation of Goa was the process in which the Republic of India annexed the State of India, the then Portuguese Indian territories of Goa, Daman and Diu, starting with the armed action carried out by the Indian Armed Forces in December 1961. In India, this action is referred to as the "Liberation of Goa". In Portugal, it is referred to as the "Invasion of Goa". Jawaharlal Nehru had hoped that the popular movement in Goa and the pressure of world public opinion would force the Portuguese Goan authorities to grant it independence but since it did not have any effect, he decided to take it by force.

The operation was code named Operation Vijay (meaning "Victory" in Sanskrit) by the Indian Armed Forces. It involved air, sea and land strikes for over 36 hours, and was a decisive victory for India, ending 451 years of rule by Portugal over its remaining exclaves in India. The engagement lasted two days, and twenty-two Indians and thirty Portuguese were killed in the fighting. The brief conflict drew a mixture of worldwide praise and condemnation. In India, the action was seen as a liberation of historically Indian territory, while Portugal viewed it as an aggression against its national soil and citizens.

Following the end of Portuguese rule in 1961, Goa was placed under military administration headed by Kunhiraman Palat Candeth as lieutenant governor. On 8 June 1962, military rule was replaced by civilian government when the Lieutenant Governor nominated an informal Consultative Council of 29 nominated members to assist him in the administration of the territory.

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