1962- India-China War

Down the Memory Lane

50 years of Indo -China War

The ‘uprising’ in Tibet and the consequent heading of Dalai Lama to India  in March 1959 had introduced fresh complexities and misunderstandings between the two countries.

Fifty years is a long time in the life of a man and it is even longer if one has to wait to ensure that one’s contribution to the nation is duly acknowledged. In this case, it is the soldiers who fought the 1962 Indo-China war. After 50 years and for the first time, the country’s defence establishment, led by Defence Minister A.K. Antony, paid homage to those who fought the 1962 war with China and sacrificed their lives. During the war, more than 3,000 Indian soldiers had laid down their lives.

‘The War’ that was:

Asian giants, India and China lived as good neighbours for centuries. Ideological differences apart, the ‘Hindi-Chini Bhai Bhai’ syndrome held sway till about the late 50’s, when signs of discord started showing up. In 1957, China linked Tibet with the mainland through the Aksai Chin Road across Ladakh and laid claim over large areas of Indian Territory in Ladakh and the erstwhile North East Frontier Agency (NEFA).

The uprising in Tibet and the consequent heading of Dalai Lama to India, while in exile in March 1959 introduced fresh complexities and misunderstanding between the two countries. There had been a series of violent border incidents. The main cause of the war was a dispute over the sovereignty of the widely separated Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh border regions. Aksai Chin, claimed by India to belong to Kashmir and by China to be part of Xinjiang, contains an important road link that connects the Chinese regions of Tibet and Xinjiang.

In the meantime, India initiated a Forward Policy in which it placed outposts along the border, including north of the McMahon Line (the eastern portion of a Line of Actual Control proclaimed by Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai in 1959). Unable to reach political accommodation on disputed territory along the 3,225-kilometer-long Himalayan border, the Chinese launched simultaneous offensives in Ladakh and across the McMahon Line on 20 October 1962. Chinese troops advanced over Indian forces in both theatres, capturing Rezang la in Chushul in the western theatre, as well as Tawang in the eastern theatre.

North East frontier in flames:

 Though, the shooting incidents between the two troops had started frequently in Ladakh, the border in eastern sector had so far remained comparatively free from trouble. Except for some small incidents, the eastern sector area remained quiet. In August 1962, however, the Chinese disturbed that ‘quietness’ when they crossed the border and occupied the Thang La Ridge ( in NEFA). It was followed by the occupation of Indian Post Dhola on 8^th September 1962 and firing on the post on 20th September.

Since the military control of Tseng- Jong by the Chinese on 10^th October, there were continuous reports of their gird, particularly on the Thang La Sector and subsequently, Indian troops had to withdraw from Tseng Jong.

After some ‘small’ incidents, on 20^th October, 1962, a massive pre planned Chinese attack simultaneously in the Namkha Chu Sector and other frontier divisions of North Eastern Frontier Agency (NEFA) as well in Ladakh took place.

The incursion of Chinese into the Kameng Frontier division and their attacks on the Dhole Post south of the river Namkha Chu signified that they not only violated the international border aggressively and attacked Indian troop in this sector as well, but they had also militarily occupied the Thang La Ridge south of Mc Mohan Line in order to substantiate their claim on NEFA.

On the other hand, India publicly declared that any intrusion by  the Chinese into Indian Territory across the Mc Mahan Line would not be tolerated. After a series of High level talks in the Defence Ministry, it announced that the Chinese must be evicted from south of Thang La Ridge immediately and by force, if necessary.

In the Kameng Frontier Division, the first onslaught of the Chinese was taken in the Tawang area. In this frontier, due to number of maladies with which political and military set up in the country suffered, and due to some crucial errors of commission and omission  made by the army down to then level of field commanders, the troops didn’t performed creditably. The army was not given firm objective. Tawang was declared the divisional vital ground, but there were not sufficient troops to defend it. And hence, it was abandoned.

The Sino-Indian War is notable for the harsh conditions under which much of the fighting took place, entailing large-scale combat at altitudes of over 4,250 metres (14,000 feet). Despite being pushed back Indian soldiers fought bravely and laid down hundreds of lives to protect their motherland from foreign invasion. The war ended when the Chinese declared a ceasefire on 20 November 1962, and simultaneously announced its withdrawal from the disputed area. The Sino-Indian War was also noted for the non-deployment of the navy or air force by either the Chinese or Indian side.

Indo-China border road strategies-Then and now:

 The 1,080 km border with China across the state of Arunachal Pradesh is still disputed. China also claims 90,000 square kms of territory in the northeast; which includes the entire state of Arunachal Pradesh.  Responding to the urgent need to build strategic roads along the India-China border, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced a package of Rs. 24,000 crore in 2009 for building the 1,500 kms Trans-Arunachal Pradesh highway. The Ministry of Home (MHA) also sanctioned Rs.1, 934 crore on 4 June 2012 for strategic road projects of about 804 kms in order to support the operational movement of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) along the India-China border, both in the eastern and the western sector. This includes the territory from the Karakoram Pass in Ladakh to Jachep La in Arunachal Pradesh covering about 3,488 kms of border. The task of building these roads have been given to the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), and the National Projects Construction Corporation.

‘Lesson drawn from the war’ and 50^th anniversary-

 This year, the Union Government had officially observed and paid homage to the ‘brave’ soldiers who fought in the 1962 War. On this occasion, Union Defence Minister Mr.A.K Antony ruled out any possibility of China repeating 1962, asserting that the present day India is now fully capable of defending itself. The country did not focus on enhancing the infrastructure in the north-east, but has substantially improved its assets and manpower now, he noted. India would continue to develop infrastructure and provide best equipment to the armed forces while continuing dialogues with China on the border issue and maintaining cordial relations with that country, he said.

 Speaking to media persons, he said, “I would like to assure the nation that the India of today is not the India of 1962. Over the years, successive governments, learning lessons from the past, have strengthened our capabilities and modernised our armed forces... we are confident that the armed forces will be able to protect the border in event of any threat.”  India was holding dialogue with China to find a solution to the long-pending border dispute and had established a mechanism to “immediately settle’’ any tensions on the border.

In Arunachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Nabam Tuki paid rich tributes to the martyrs. On this occasion, the Chief Minister stated “Fifty years ago, on October 20, 1962, China attacked India through Arunachal Pradesh. The war was brief but took away lives of hundreds of our brave soldiers. We as Indians and proud Arunachalees let’s remember and pay our tributes to the martyrs as for their supreme sacrifice we are what we are and where we are today”.

Saluting the martyrs, the Chief Minister, meanwhile, reiterated that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India and that its citizens are very proud Indians.