SINO - INDIAN WAR 1962

INDIA – CHINA Relations

1947- Independence of India
1949- Communists win the civil war
and People’s Republic of China
established.

Cordial relations initially- India first

country to recognise PRC, favoured
 Mao Zedong-
Chairman

Zhou Enlai
-Premier
1950- China annexes Tibet claiming
historical rights over the territory.
1954 – Signing of Panchsheel accords
Five Principles of Peaceful
Coexistence under which India
acknowledged Chinese sovereignty
in Tibet.
 Boundary Dispute
The border was disputed and un-
demarcated since British and
Chinese empire’s time period.
Mostly based on local traditional areas
of dominance and natural barriers .
NEFA/Tawang/South Tibet
Aksai chin
1956- China constructs
a road linking
Xinjiang to Tibet
via Aksai chin
1959- Uprising in Tibet crushed by
Chinese military.
Dalai Lama flees to India and given
refuge.
 QUESTION

Where is the headquarters of the

Tibetan government-in-exile??
• 1960 – Zhou Enlai visits the India and
proposes a status quo(Aksai-
China,NEFA-India) which is rejected
by Nehru.
• 1959-61 – Continuous skirmishes
between border patrols and minor
attacks on Indian posts leading to
The Forward Policy- 1960
P.M.Nehru decided that Indian army
should occupy the frontier areas
along the MACMOHAN LINE and in
AKSAI CHIN.

Some posts were even North of the

McMahon line.
 The War
• 20 October to 21 November 1962
• China over runs NEFA and Tawang in
4 days only.
• A lull in fighting for 3 weeks as
negotiations start.
• Again a week of Intense fighting in
Aksai Chin and NEFA
 The battle of Rezang La in
Ladakh
123 men of 13th Kumaon ,led by
Maj.Shaitan Singh (PVC) kill ~1000
PLA Soldiers at heights of 17000 ft.
Indian casualties – 1386 KIA
1700 MIA

No use of Air Force,Navy

High altitude warfare
 The Ceasefire
Unilateral ceasefire by China on 21
November.
Army retreats to beyond MacMahon
line in NEFA
Aksai chin in firm control of China.
 Reasons-
• Objectives of China achieved-
Show of power for territorial dispute
Indian forward policy checked
• USA,UK and USSR supported India
• Fear of USA entering the fight
 IMPACT in INDIA
• J.L.Nehru’s prestige suffers a huge blow,
especially his stature as a statesman and
diplomat.
• Henderson-Brooks –Bhagat report – on the
failure in war . It is still classified.
• India strengthened its army and weapons
system
• Wary of China – Pakistan not the only threat in
future
Dr. Mahipal Singh
Rathore

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