Two significant events strained the relationship between India and China. The annexation of Tibet by China in 1950 eliminated a historical buffer zone that had existed between the two nations. In 1959, the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, sought and received political asylum in India, causing China to accuse India of harboring anti-China activities.
Around the same time, a boundary dispute emerged between India and China. China laid claim to two regions within Indian territory: the Aksai Chin area in Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, and a substantial portion of the state of Arunachal Pradesh (then known as NEFA - North Eastern Frontier Agency). Between 1957 and 1959, China occupied the Aksai Chin region and constructed a strategically significant road there. Despite extended correspondences and discussions among high-level leaders, the differences remained unresolved. This deadlock led to several minor border skirmishes between the armed forces of the two countries.
In October 1962, China initiated a swift and massive invasion of both disputed regions. The initial attack lasted for a week, during which Chinese forces seized strategic areas in Arunachal Pradesh. Following that, a second wave of attack occurred the next month. While Indian forces managed to halt Chinese advances on the western front in Ladakh, on the eastern front, Chinese troops progressed nearly to the entry point of the Assam plains. Subsequently, China declared a unilateral ceasefire and withdrew its troops to their positions before the invasion.
The conflict had significant consequences for India domestically and internationally. India's reputation suffered both within the country and on the global stage. India had to seek military assistance from the United States and the United Kingdom to address the crisis. This war brought about feelings of national humiliation while concurrently fostering a strengthened spirit of nationalism. The aftermath saw the resignation or retirement of several top army commanders, and Nehru's associate and the then Defence Minister, V. Krishna Menon, had to exit the cabinet. This period also marked a significant political shift, as a no-confidence motion against Nehru's government was introduced and debated in the Lok Sabha (the lower house of India's Parliament). Subsequently, the Congress party faced defeats in crucial by-elections to the Lok Sabha, reflecting a changing political landscape in the country. |
