Important Battles in Indian History: Complete Chronological List with Winners, Years and Causes for SSC Exams
Rahul Kumar
SSC Exam Expert & Content Editor
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PDF Notes: Important Battles in Indian History: Complete Chronological List with Winners, Years and Causes for SSC Exams
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The battles of Indian history are asked in SSC exams as “Which battle was fought in which year, and between whom?”. This guide on important battles in Indian history for SSC lists the battles in chronological order in the ancient, medieval and modern periods, with the parties, the winner and the result, plus tricks and practice questions.
Ancient India
| Battle | Year | Between | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battle of the Hydaspes (Jhelum) | 326 BCE | Alexander and Porus | Alexander won but reinstated Porus as a ruler |
| Battle of Kalinga | 261 BCE | Ashoka and Kalinga | Ashoka won; the bloodshed led him to adopt Buddhism |
Medieval India
| Battle | Year | Between | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Battle of Tarain | 1191 | Prithviraj Chauhan and Muhammad Ghori | Prithviraj won |
| Second Battle of Tarain | 1192 | Prithviraj Chauhan and Muhammad Ghori | Ghori won; foundation of Turkish rule in India |
| Battle of Chandawar | 1194 | Muhammad Ghori and Jaichand of Kannauj | Ghori won |
| Battle of Talikota | 1565 | Deccan Sultanates and Vijayanagar | Vijayanagar was defeated |
| First Battle of Panipat | 1526 | Babur and Ibrahim Lodi | Babur won; Mughal Empire began |
| Battle of Khanwa | 1527 | Babur and Rana Sanga | Babur won |
| Battle of Chanderi | 1528 | Babur and Medini Rai | Babur won |
| Battle of Ghaghra | 1529 | Babur and the Afghans of Bihar and Bengal | Babur won |
| Battle of Chausa | 1539 | Sher Shah Suri and Humayun | Sher Shah won |
| Battle of Kannauj (Bilgram) | 1540 | Sher Shah Suri and Humayun | Sher Shah won; Humayun fled |
| Second Battle of Panipat | 1556 | Akbar (Bairam Khan) and Hemu | Akbar won |
| Battle of Haldighati | 1576 | Akbar (Man Singh) and Maharana Pratap | Mughals won but Pratap was not captured |
| Battle of Samugarh | 1658 | Aurangzeb and Dara Shikoh | Aurangzeb won |
| Battle of Dharmat | 1658 | Aurangzeb and Jaswant Singh | Aurangzeb won |
Modern India (British Period)
| Battle | Year | Between | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battle of Wandiwash | 1760 | English (Eyre Coote) and French (Count de Lally) | English won; end of French power in India |
| Battle of Plassey | 23 June 1757 | Robert Clive and Siraj-ud-Daulah | English won; Bengal came under the Company |
| Battle of Buxar | 22 October 1764 | Hector Munro and Mir Qasim, Shuja-ud-Daula and Shah Alam II | English won; Company got diwani rights in 1765 |
| Fourth Anglo-Mysore War | 1799 | English and Tipu Sultan | Tipu died at Seringapatam |
| Third Battle of Panipat | 1761 | Ahmad Shah Abdali and the Marathas | Abdali won; Maratha power was weakened |
| Battle of Assaye | 1803 | Arthur Wellesley and the Marathas (Second Anglo-Maratha War) | English won |
| First Anglo-Sikh War | 1845–46 | English and the Sikhs | Treaty of Lahore (1846) |
| Second Anglo-Sikh War | 1848–49 | English and the Sikhs | Punjab annexed in 1849 |
| Battle of Saragarhi | 1897 | 36th Sikh Regiment and Afghan tribesmen | 21 Sikh soldiers fought to the last man |
| Revolt of 1857 | 1857–58 | Indian rebels and the English | The revolt was suppressed |
Wars of Independent India
| War | Year | Result |
|---|---|---|
| First Indo-Pak War (Kashmir) | 1947–48 | Ceasefire under the UN; line of control formed |
| Sino-Indian War | 1962 | China won; India lost some territory |
| Second Indo-Pak War | 1965 | Ceasefire; Tashkent Agreement (1966) |
| Third Indo-Pak War | 1971 | India won; Bangladesh was created; Simla Agreement (1972) |
| Kargil War | 1999 | India recaptured the heights; Operation Vijay |
Tricks to Remember
- Panipat 1526 (Babur), 1556 (Akbar) and 1761 (Marathas): three battles of Panipat, 30 years and 205 years apart.
- Plassey (1757) comes before Buxar (1764); Buxar gave real power to the English.
- Tarain I (1191) was won by Prithviraj; Tarain II (1192) by Ghori.
- Khanwa (1527) was against Rana Sanga; Haldighati (1576) was against Rana Pratap.
- Chausa (1539) and Kannauj (1540) were Sher Shah’s victories over Humayun.
Quick Tips
- Learn battles in chronological order.
- Note the winner and the effect of each battle.
- Remember the three Panipats.
- Link Plassey and Buxar with the rise of the English.
Quick Revision Points
- First Panipat: 1526; second: 1556; third: 1761.
- Plassey: 1757; Buxar: 1764.
- Tarain I: 1191; Tarain II: 1192.
- Khanwa: 1527; Haldighati: 1576.
- Chausa: 1539; Kannauj: 1540.
Practice Questions With Answers
- Who won the First Battle of Panipat?
Answer: Babur - In which year was the Battle of Plassey fought?
Answer: 1757 - Who was defeated at the Battle of Haldighati?
Answer: Maharana Pratap (though not captured) - Who defeated Humayun at Chausa?
Answer: Sher Shah Suri - Which battle was fought between Babur and Rana Sanga?
Answer: Battle of Khanwa (1527) - Which battle was fought in 1764?
Answer: Battle of Buxar - Who fought in the Third Battle of Panipat?
Answer: Ahmad Shah Abdali and the Marathas - Which battle ended French power in India?
Answer: Battle of Wandiwash (1760) - Which war led to the creation of Bangladesh?
Answer: The 1971 Indo-Pak War - Who died at Seringapatam in 1799?
Answer: Tipu Sultan
How to Practise This Chapter
Practise 10 questions every day and write the steps on paper. Then attempt timed sets from our practice papers and the previous year papers page. See all topics on the General Awareness notes page, read the previous topic Countries, Capitals and Currencies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the First Battle of Panipat?
Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi in 1526.
Who won the Second Battle of Panipat?
Akbar, under the guidance of Bairam Khan, defeated Hemu in 1556.
Who won the Third Battle of Panipat?
Ahmad Shah Abdali defeated the Marathas in 1761.
What was the Battle of Plassey?
A battle on 23 June 1757 in which Robert Clive defeated Siraj-ud-Daulah.
What was the importance of the Battle of Buxar?
It gave the English the diwani of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa in 1765.
Who fought at Haldighati?
Akbar’s army under Man Singh and Maharana Pratap, in 1576.
What happened at Tarain in 1192?
Muhammad Ghori defeated Prithviraj Chauhan.
Who was defeated at Khanwa?
Rana Sanga, by Babur in 1527.
Which war ended with the Tashkent Agreement?
The 1965 Indo-Pak war.
Which war was fought in Kargil?
The 1999 Indo-Pak conflict, called Operation Vijay.
Is this topic asked in SSC?
Yes. Battles and their dates are common in SSC history questions.
How do I remember the battles?
Learn them in chronological order with the winners and results.
Rahul Kumar
SSC Exam Expert & Content Editor
Rahul is a senior SSC exam strategist with 8+ years of experience helping aspirants crack CGL, CHSL and MTS exams. He writes in-depth notification breakdowns, exam pattern guides and preparation strategies.