The Legacy of 1962 and China’s India Policy

This article will argue that the legacy of the 1962 Sino-Indian War continues to affect China’s policy towards India even today. The three factors that led to China’s decision in 1962 to attack India—the status of Tibet, the militarization of their unresolved border and fears of containment—are present even today, albeit in slightly modified forms. This is not to argue that another Sino-Indian War is imminent because the larger strategic context within which China’s leaders took the decision to attack India in 1962 has changed. Unlike 1962, China does not face a large-scale rebellion in Tibet today, nor is there any Chinese fear of encroachment of Chinese territory as a consequence of India’s ‘Forward Policy’ today. However, Sino-Indian relations will continue to remain competitive and conflictual because the status of Tibet, their border dispute and Chinese fears of containment continue to bedevil Sino-Indian relations.