A Long Border but minimal Association
China and India have been neighbours for as long as history. The two nations were separated by the Himalayas which was a barrier between the two nations. Though some Chinese travellers did came to India, yet because of this massive Mountain range the people to people contact was minimal.
Over the centuries the Hindus lost power and were successively governed by the Muslims and the British.
Chinese did have a massive expansion but soon became insular and fell back economically and allowed themselves to be exploited by the Japanese and the Western powers.Thus both nations were not masters of their own destiny. In 1947 India won freedom and Mao led a resurgent Red Army to complete domination by the communists and centralised power. Comparisons are odious-but the dawn of a new beginning for both was ominous.
The Emergence of China and India
China started a campaign of consolidation and rectification of 'historical wrongs'.Tibet was the central piece with China invading and occupying the mountain region with the Indian leadership steeped in Gandhian philosophy of non violence unable to help the Tibetans. This brought the Chinese power on to India's door step.India started a democratic process copied from West minister and the leadership showed naivety by not laying stress on the northern borders with China and also allowed Tibet to be engulfed by China.Thus Tibet as a buffer was lost for ever.
Inevitable Clash
Sensing that India could challenge China's supremacy the Chinese occupied vast tracts ( 30,000 sq mile)in Ladakh and did not accept the McMahon line as a frontier in the East. The Simla pact earlier attended by the representatives of Tibet, China and British on which India relied for an interpreting of the border with Tibet was ignored by the Chinese. Lack of clear strategic insight on the part of India cost India heavily and it was forgotten that even at that conference the Chinese did not sign on the dotted line.
Indian Leadership and Throwing the Towel
Power rivalry led to the 1962 India China war and established China as the dominant power in Asia.The trend of keeping the fire burning and also as a reminder of China's great power status has led to the present Chinese incursions in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh.India has not understood the game of power politics.The Chinese will not settle the border issue and at any time can stoke up the flames, as the Chinese have made assiduous plans and in contrast India appears as a weakling . A complete change in the Indian thinking and the further development of the Indian armed might can only deter China. Historical blunders and lack of a strategic concept to be a world power has cost India dear.
China and India have been neighbours for as long as history. The two nations were separated by the Himalayas which was a barrier between the two nations. Though some Chinese travellers did came to India, yet because of this massive Mountain range the people to people contact was minimal.
Over the centuries the Hindus lost power and were successively governed by the Muslims and the British.
Chinese did have a massive expansion but soon became insular and fell back economically and allowed themselves to be exploited by the Japanese and the Western powers.Thus both nations were not masters of their own destiny. In 1947 India won freedom and Mao led a resurgent Red Army to complete domination by the communists and centralised power. Comparisons are odious-but the dawn of a new beginning for both was ominous.
The Emergence of China and India
China started a campaign of consolidation and rectification of 'historical wrongs'.Tibet was the central piece with China invading and occupying the mountain region with the Indian leadership steeped in Gandhian philosophy of non violence unable to help the Tibetans. This brought the Chinese power on to India's door step.India started a democratic process copied from West minister and the leadership showed naivety by not laying stress on the northern borders with China and also allowed Tibet to be engulfed by China.Thus Tibet as a buffer was lost for ever.
Inevitable Clash
Sensing that India could challenge China's supremacy the Chinese occupied vast tracts ( 30,000 sq mile)in Ladakh and did not accept the McMahon line as a frontier in the East. The Simla pact earlier attended by the representatives of Tibet, China and British on which India relied for an interpreting of the border with Tibet was ignored by the Chinese. Lack of clear strategic insight on the part of India cost India heavily and it was forgotten that even at that conference the Chinese did not sign on the dotted line.
Indian Leadership and Throwing the Towel
Power rivalry led to the 1962 India China war and established China as the dominant power in Asia.The trend of keeping the fire burning and also as a reminder of China's great power status has led to the present Chinese incursions in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh.India has not understood the game of power politics.The Chinese will not settle the border issue and at any time can stoke up the flames, as the Chinese have made assiduous plans and in contrast India appears as a weakling . A complete change in the Indian thinking and the further development of the Indian armed might can only deter China. Historical blunders and lack of a strategic concept to be a world power has cost India dear.
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