With the world’s gaze fixed on Cuba, India and China went to war. While the conflict is long since over, their relations are still a mess.
Fifty years ago, on October 20, 1962, with the world’s terrified gaze fixed firmly on the U.S.-Soviet nuclear standoff in Cuba, China attacked India. Provoked by a territorial dispute and tensions over Tibet, the war was brief and China emerged victorious. However, the war still casts a long shadow over Sino-Indian relations and, despite substantial improvement over the years, continues to influence the bilateral relationship in three principal ways.
First, the war of 1962 sealed the fate of the Tibet issue as an eternal source of tension in Sino-Indian relations. Long before the war Tibet began to plague Beijing and Delhi’s relationship as China accused India of trying to undermine its rule in Tibet while India charged China with suppressing Tibetan autonomy. The war served to solidify those suspicions. This has had both strategic and tactical consequences.
Strategically, the Dalai Lama’s presence in India, which the war made de facto irreversible, is a constant strain on Sino-Indian relations and the embodiment of the unresolved status of the Tibet issue. For Beijing, the Dalai Lama’s government in exile in Dharamsala has been a constant challenge to its rule in Tibet. For Delhi, it has been a symbol of Beijing’s refusal to grant real autonomy to Tibet. It has also proved a double-edged sword for India. While it has given India the so-called “Tibet card” to play against China, it has also boxed it in as Delhi cannot control the Tibetan leader nor throw him out for fear of the domestic and international reaction. All this has guaranteed constant tensions between the two Asian giants.
On a tactical level, Sino-Indian relations have been held hostage by events in Tibet and the relationship between the Chinese government and the Tibetans. As C. Raja Mohan has characterized it, “When there is relative tranquility in Tibet, India and China have reasonably good relations. When Sino-Tibetan tensions rise, India’s relationship with China heads south.” However, as such tensions reflect ethnic conflicts inside Tibet, clashes between the Tibetan clergy and the local Chinese authorities and the policy of the Dalai Lama, they are often beyond the control of Beijing and Delhi. As a result, Sino-Indian relations have become difficult to predict and more difficult to manage in times of crisis. This inherent instability has been aggravated by a time bomb which can explode anytime, the inevitable reincarnation of the Dalai Lama.
Second, 1962 has bequeathed to China and India the border dispute that started the war and has made resolving it a Herculean task. Thus to this day China continues to claim the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, while New Delhi lays claim to the Chinese-controlled Aksai Chin territory. This dispute continues to prevent the full normalization of relations despite almost a quarter decade of negotiations and Prime Minster Vajpayee’s 2003 visit to China. Despite efforts to sideline this issue it has not only remained central to bilateral relations, but has powerfully reasserted itself in recent years. A series of incidents- including Indian officials visiting the disputed areas, Beijing refusing to issue visa’s to Indian officers stationed in the disputed area, and official Chinese references to Arunachal Pradesh as “South Tibet”- have rekindled the dispute and led to a new cycle of accusations and tensions.
In addition, the territorial dispute has led to dangerous militarization of the Sino-Indian border, especially in disputed areas. Both sides have built transportation infrastructure, airstrips, and outposts and have deployed large numbers of troops to the border, including a Tibetan paramilitary special force employed by India’s intelligence service. The result has been frequent stand-offs and even occasional skirmishes between Indian and Chinese soldiers. Provoked by border incursions and patrolling in disputed areas, such incidents could escalate into a larger armed conflict. Earlier this year, China and India signed an agreement designed to manage tensions by establishing a mechanism for contact between the two sides in case of border incursions. However, it is uncertain how productive it will be in light of the failure of previous attempts to reduce tensions.
Third, the border war has instilled deep mistrust and a strong sense of rivalry between the two sides.
Photo Credit: Rajkumar1220 (Flickr)
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Domai
@Bankotsu That was a mistake…I as an Indian agree. India did support LTTE and I think it paid a heavy price for that soldiers lost as part of IPKF and killing of former prime minister who tried to make it right Rajiv Ghandhi. No denying that…its a fact.
Dyson D’ Souza
What my friend Venkat . S. Kanakamedala has earlier mentioned of NATO setting up base in India is actually baseless. India will never allow any foreign nation's military to use Indian soil as a base. Secondly, NATO has no jurisdiction in the Indian Peninsula, so your suggestion is ruled out. Russia will never be truly America's 'friend'. They will remain 'Friends' no doubt but not in the sense you've put it. This is because Russia and China are the only two countries in the world who are up and upfront against America's sphere of influence in the World Arena. These two are the only nations which can match America militarily. Whatever China is doing with its aggressive posture is to contain USA not India. India is still trying its best to rapidly modernize its armed forces to contain China which will take some time.
What my colleague Anjaan has said that China is the 'enemy' no. 1 is true and India has no military threat from Pakistan as Pakistan cannot match a conventional war against India. So, it is of a little concern to us.
I would also like to point out to my colleague Sardar Khan is to display some maturity and not to blindly follow the government controlled media in Pakistan and look at the bigger picture. The world knows how and what kind of trouble Pakistan forments to its neighbours both India and Afghanistan. Its the Pakistani establishment who does not want to leave its obsession of India despite America's assurances.
We also always open for talks for the Kashmir issue, but we have only one condition: which is to stop all Cross Border Terrorism, narcotics and fake currency in the country. We can achieve a lot by working together in all spheres which your establishments doesn't wish to do. It is estimated that once the trade between India and Pakistan flourishes it would be the largest trading routes in the world. It would be better for both our people. Pakistan must accept the then King of Kashmir's decision of acceding to India in 1948 to which Pakistan vehemently disagreed and not accepted to this date. It was due to this decision that Pakistan invaded India in 1948. Pakistan's establishments lost three wars with India and so decides to foment terrorism in the region which sets aside the disputed claim as indigenous struggle.
There is no proof that India interferes in Pakistan's Balochistan regions as America themselves have regarded the so called evidence as baseless.
With regard to his comments, "We are a free nation and we love our freedom and our country,we do not want to be part of your ravaged,downgrade and worst country of the world,despite your dirty tactics" I have one answer we're already the fastest growing economy in the world, third largest economy after China and soon to overtake them too. We're also the world' largest democracy. Compare yourselves when attributing remarks such as 'ravaged, downgrade and worst country'. If it were so why does the world wants to invest heavily in India? There are a number of Indian companies which are part of the Global Fortune 500 list.
I am part of the country's minority Roman Catholic community. I enjoy living side by side with my Hindu, Muslim, Sikh brothers and vice versa. Your country cannot even give the basic amenities to its minorities and are constantly persecuted and you say you enjoy your freedom? How many military coup has taken place in your country? There is clearly no arguments for that. I don't view Pakistan as an enemy but the establishments there needs to change its attitude drastically to ensure peace.
The reason why America doesn't want to name Pakistan as a terrorist nation is because if it does it will be the only terrorist nation with Nuclear Weapons.
The only way we can achieve peace is not by making war but by constructing a conducive atmosphere for talks.
Bankotsu
What about India supporting the Tamil Tigers terrorists in the past?
Vishal Shinde
Perfect answer Mr. Dyson and well elaborated facts and files. hoping to see the bilateral ties flourish and India becomes the world's largest economy