India and China need to make a fresh beginning in bilateral relations
- India’s relations with China is viewed through the prism of 1962 which paints China as a country that stabbed us and continues to challenge India’s territorial integrity.
- India’s Forward Policy is blamed by Henderson Brooks for the country’s biggest military catastrophe. Indian troops were put in an impossible position due to tactical blunders and lack of preparedness.
- The Chinese offered a swap entailing New Delhi giving up its territorial claims over Aksai Chin in exchange for Beijing giving up its claims over Arunachal Pradesh.
- Conversion of The Line of Control into an international border was prevented as New Delhi adopted an unhelpful form of cartographic nationalism.
- China remains an enigma for India as it evolves into a second superpower parallel to the US. This prevent the two countries from partnering interests of the developing world and restricts commerce and investment opportunities the two large markets offer.
- India and China should make a fresh start by shedding the baggage of the past and broad-base engagement,enhance exchanges in areas such as language learning, culture, tourism, commerce and education.
Exams Perspective:
- India China Bilateral Realtions
- 1962 War
- Forward Policy
- Henderson Brooks Report