Because of cuts in military spending and the fact that the Indian Intelligence Bureau expended the bulk of its efforts on uncovering political threats to those in power, Nehru’s intelligence agencies were, until 1958, unaware that the Chinese had completed a road within Kashmir that linked Xinjiang with Tibet, and claimed the territory through which the road passed (known locally as ‘Aksai Chin’). Nehru was furious when he discovered this land grab, and ordered the army to occupy as much of the area as it could. Such bravado was a little late in coming though, given that the Chinese had marched into an area that had been wholly undefended by India, despite being part of the Ladakh region of Kashmir. Indeed, there wasn’t a single Indian soldier or administrator on any of the lands taken over by China in the 1950s.
China, meanwhile, regarded itself as under threat from the United States and Britain since intervening in the Korean War to prevent a takeover of ally North Korea. And it had always regarded Nehru and his Congress Party as mere puppets of the former colonial powers, believing Delhi feigned independence to conceal its participation in efforts to ‘split’ the People’s Republic of China. The fact that the Dalai Lama and his followers received money from the CIA for several years following his move to India did nothing to dampen such fears.
The Consequences of Failure
The failure of Zhou and Nehru in establishing agreed boundaries came back to haunt the two countries, including their inability to agree on demarcation.
It was soon afterward, in 1959, perhaps out of pique, that Nehru made the momentous decision to offer asylum to the Dalai Lama. Mao saw this move as interference in China’s internal affairs and believed that in doing so, India had finally crossed a red line and made itself an enemy.
But Nehru went even further, giving his blessing to the setting up of a Tibetan government-in-exile in Dharamshala, a picturesque town not far from the border with Tibet. This Central Tibetan Administration to this day continues to claim it is the true government of Tibet, an area that in its view includes not only the present Tibet Autonomous Region, but substantial parts of the Chinese provinces of Qinghai, Gansu and Sichuan.
The CTA issues all Tibetans exiled in India a Green Book that is claimed to represent proof of ‘Tibetan’ statehood. And, since 1959,successive governments in India have continued the Nehruvian policy of permitting those Tibetans hostile to Beijing’s control to form a government in exile and to travel across the world propagating the ‘Free Tibet’ cause.
This approach brings praise from capitals from North America to Europe, as well as Australia and New Zealand, although all of them combined have failed–by a substantial margin–to do as much for the Dalai Lama and his flock than impoverished India.
Yet while the rights and wrongs of the international community’s approach are still open for debate, one thing is not–the immense geopolitical costs of the decision for India, perhaps best epitomised in the Sino-Pakistan alliance.
The 1962 war resulted in a Line of Actual Control being formed, one that demarcated the effective boundary between India and China. But fast forward almost five decades, and China is yet to align its maps so as to reflect the ground reality. The reason is twofold: Pakistan fears that such an alignment would lead to a thinning out of Indian troops from the border with China, thus giving Delhi a greater number of forces that could be thrown into battle against Pakistan. Secondly, the Chinese Communist Party seeks to hold the border settlement in reserve until there is an overall Sino-Indian accord that takes care of the Tibetan question.
The 2008 unrest in Tibet pushed this issue to the centre of the international stage. Since then, and somewhat uncharacteristically, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has confronted Beijing on the issue of the Dalai Lama, sanctioning his recent visit to Arunachal Pradesh, a state that Beijing regards as part of Tibet. The territory was the home of a former Dalai Lama and may yet be the home of the next. If so, it would lead to an interesting situation in which the foremost religious authority in Tibet is born in exile. And this, combined with the much shorter fuses of younger Tibetans outside the country, may create a mix that could prove explosive for Sino-Indian relations.
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Michael
“Nehru and his team were mere quislings who pretended to be independent but were actually bound almost as firmly to the apron strings of Europe and the United States as they were when still a colony”
And the truth shall set you free! The truth is that India never was given complete freedom and independence from their colonial masters, simply a little more management duties! Don’t Indians ever question why the most powerful person in India today is an FOREIGN WHITE ITALIAN WOMAN whose only connection to India is her late husbands last name of Gandhi??? Do you see any where else in this world, be it Afica, South America, the Middle East, or Asia where there is a White person running the government??? India is still a slave country and nothing will change this fact!
Rishabh
India is a secular democracy and the “foreign white Italian lady” is not Italian anymore, she is a naturalized Indian citizen. And as an Indian citizen she has the rights to contest elections, exactly as Arnie did in California, even though he was Austrian by birth. We dont all need to be homogeneous to succeed as a country. In my opinion what is despicable is the way China is trying to increase the influx of Han Chinese to places of debate such as Xianjiang and Tibet. And she may be the most powerful lady in India, but she in no ways runs the government, if you had any idea how the constitution of India works, you would realise for one person to run the government is largely impossible as you would need a spread consensus of at least 10. The closest any one did come to run the government was Indira Gandhi and even she had to resort to an “Emergency” to maintain her control. India and China are both fascinating ancient countries, that are making their step into the big game. Wherein China has the vision and India has the right method. Both can learn from each other and when both stop seeing each other as threats, both will learn that growing simultaneously is beneficial for all. But, all this depends on who is the next man incharge in China, who after Hu?
Justin
Thought about subscribing to the RSS feed then I saw the same old delusional Indian myth of being offered a UNSC seat.
Doesn’t speak well for any paper that will publish this. Reminds me of how one of India’s minister recently cited the facts from an email chain letter about NASA’s engineers being composed of 1/4 of Indians.
Frank
China, India and Tibet problem can be solved easily by letting the disputed territory south of the McMahon Line in South Tibet declare independence.
South Tibet is currently under India control. The people in South Tibet are Tibetans. They are not going to be happy under India’s control. Sooner or later they will be a problem of India.
China is also claiming South Tibet.
So, if India lets South Tibet go. Give it back to Dalai Lama and his people!!!
Since China did not lose anything, China will agree. All territory related problems are resolved.
Don
Both China and India should give up North Tibet and South Tibet and restore Tibet as an independent nation as it existed before the Chinese invasion/annexation in the 50s. Dalai Lama and Tibetans would certainly take that and establish a fine demilitarized democracy as a buffer between two giant nuclear rivals. Let there be peace in the 21st century.
Michael
Don
Yes, of course, the day the West gives the land back to the Aboriginals, the Native Indians, Hawaiians and many other countries!
Indian Maverick
@ Frank
The way of Tibets issue should be for china to give back Tibet to its own people and withdraw from Tibet, so as for all territorial disputes to be dissolved and be at peace once again.
That way, there will never be a territory dispute for china, with india and others.
If china wants peace with its neighbours, that is the way to go.
Siddharth
South Asia is a new term coined by Chinese out of frustration (typical Chinese slave mentality) It never existed before the year 2000.
People in Arunachal Pradesh are Hindus and Indians. They are neither the Buddhists nor the Tibetans.
Laticia
So that’s the case? Quite a rveeltiaon that is.