Tibet conflict:
(a) In 1950 China took control over Tibet which was a buffer state for India and China and was very crucial for India’s territorial integrity also. There was lot of opposition from the people of Tibet also. India tried to persuade Chinese government but all the attempts failed.
(b) When the ‘Panchsheel‘ agreement was signed between India and China in 1954, through one of its clauses about respecting each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignity, India concede China’s claim over Tibet.
(c) In 1958 there was an armed uprising in Tibet against Chinese control. This was suppressed by the Chinese forces. As a result of it Dalai Lama, the Spiritual along with many of his followers fled Tibet and cane to India. Indian government granted political asylum to Dalai Lama. This act was regarded as an enemy like act by the Chinese government and since then this issue continues to disturb Sino Indian relations.
The Border Dispute
i. A boundary dispute had also surfaced between India and China in late 1950s. India claimed that the matter was settled in colonial time, but China said that any colonial decision did not apply.
ii. The main dispute was about the western and eastern end of the long border. China claimed two areas within the Indian territory: Aksai Chin area in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir and much of the state of Arunachal Pradesh in what was then called NEFA.
iii. From 1957 to 1959, Chinese occupied the Aksai Chin area and built a strategic road there. While the entire world’s attention was on the Cuban crisis involving the two super powers, China launched swift and massive invasion in October 1962 on the disputed regions. The Indian forces could block the Chinese advances on the western front in Ladakh, in the east the Chinese managed to advance nearly to the entry point of Assam plains. Finally China declared unilateral cease fire and were able to capture some key areas in Arunachal Pradesh.
