The following month, the British frontline started to prepare for an expected Japanese offensive. In March, Japan invaded India, and then besieged Imphal and Kohima. In response, the 2nd Division was assigned to the British Fourteenth Army and ordered to move to Chittagong. As a result of the fighting at Kohima, the division was diverted to the province of Assam. After a move of , the division launched a counterattack on 12 April. In conjunction with the 7th Indian Infantry Division, the division broke the Japanese siege of Kohima and forced them to retreat. Advancing towards Imphal, the division fought several actions with Japanese forces. On 20 June, the division linked up with British Indian forces who had advanced from Imphal, which ended that siege. In the course of this fighting, the division assisted in the destruction of the Japanese 31st Division, and suffered 2,125 casualties.