India-China War Archives

Events leading to the Sino-Indian Conflict of 1962

This monograph presents an objective account of a very crucial six-year period (1956-1962) in the histories of India and China (and Tibet) -- the countries directly involved in the conflict.

China’s Wars and Strategies: Looking Back at the Korean War and the Sino-Indian War

This article explores China’s war experiences in the Korean War and the Sino-Indian War and analyses China’s strategic decisions at the time of its national establishment. This article suggests that China pursued the strategic goal of protecting its frontiers and ensuring its territorial integrity in both wars, while executing dissimilar strategies. The article associates the modernisation of People’s Liberation Army after the Korean War with the outcome of the following war with India.

1962: The War That Wasn’t, by Kunal Verma

The title of the book is self-explanatory. And the tone and tenor thereof is an implied challenge to the conventional wisdom, and thesis, propounded in India’s China War, written by British scribe Neville Maxwell in the 1970s. According to Verma, in 1949, ‘China was not a player as far as India’s national security was concerned.’ None, except Sardar Patel, could read, or anticipate, China and its plan of action. Hence, the 1962 India–China conflict is ‘least understood’. Exactly a month before his death, however, Patel wrote a warning letter to the Indian Prime Minister, Nehru.

Even If It Ain’t Broke Yet, Do Fix It: Enhancing Effectiveness Through Military Change

Publisher: Pentagon Press

Bringing about change in any setup, especially major shifts, is a challenges. This challenges is accentuated further in a strictly hierarchical organisation like the army, presenting an unenviable contradiction to both senior military practitioner and the governing elite, wherein, change is inevitable, yet, it is most likely to be resisted.

ISBN 978-81-8274-919-1,
Price: ₹ 795
E-copy available

A Siachen Resolution: Why Now?

India should put Pakistan on parole and watch its behaviour for 20 years before even beginning to think of any concessions in Siachen or elsewhere.

Ramesh Phadke
November 08, 2012
IDSA Comments

The Two Myths of 1962

In the ongoing debate on the 1962 War, two issues have not been adequately addressed: the myth that the Indian Army had not provided viable military options, and the reasons for the non-use of the combat potential of the Indian Air Force.

Ramesh Phadke
October 31, 2012
IDSA Comments

Who Started the Fighting—- The Sequel

When Nehru wrote to Zhou that China either accept the McMahon Line alignment along the highest watershed or go by the strict coordinates as per the original McMahon map, the Chinese, realising the folly committed by their Premier, demurred.

R. S. Kalha
October 28, 2012
IDSA Comments

The 50th Anniversary of the Border Conflict With China: A Strategic Analysis

The 1962 border conflict moulded our security and strategic thinking into a defensive mindset, and its 50th anniversary is an appropriate time to review those lessons as we seek our place in the new multi-polar world.

Mukul Sanwal
October 19, 2012
IDSA Comments

Who started the fighting?

Let us examine the facts as they are, to see if the Chinese contention of a counter-attack to throw Indian aggressors out has any merit or, as India believes, it was nothing but a premeditated attack by China.

R. S. Kalha
October 17, 2012
IDSA Comments

The 1962 War: Will China speak about it?

A global power like China must not hesitate to acknowledge its historical mistakes: it needs to have sufficient self-confidence to withstand the consequent discomfort and embarrassment.