APPEASEMENT
DETAILS
According to Dalvi, the Indian Army lacked leadership, equipment for mountain warfare, weaponry, and basic essentials like warm clothing, snow boots, and glasses. Brig Dalvi lavishes praise on his brigade courage, bravery, and grit in face of superior opposition.
Despite gaining territory, the Chinese army declared a unilateral ceasefire, while still maintaining the status quo. Brig. Dalvi was taken as prisoner of war along with the soldiers of his brigade. He was subsequently imprisoned for six months. Dalvi also records how China had meticulously planned the attack while officially it maintained a different posture.
WHY DID THIS HAPPEN?
Despite Nehru’s overtures of friendship towards China, the relationship deteriorated to the point of a war with that country in 1962. All things considered, Nehru was too sensitive about Chinese concerns that India may be siding with the West.
THE CHINESE FEAR
Better safe than sorry
With no sound operational assessment of the PLAAF by the IAF, the government relied on inputs from the Intelligence Bureau (IB). The IB cautioned the government that the use of offensive air power could result in the PLAAF attacking Indian cities like Calcutta and also deny India the moral high ground’ in case of a protracted conflict. No cognisance was taken of the fact that PLAAF aircraft could reach targets in India only if they operated from airfields in Tibet with the high altitudes imposing severe restrictions on their weapon-carrying capacity. On the other hand, IAF fighters would have had the advantage of operating with full weapon loads from airfields in the plains of Assam and Punjab.
2. ATAL BIHARI VAJPAYEE ERA (2003)
INDIAS MISTAKE IN 2003
INDIA’S MISTAKE IN 2003
In the first-ever joint declaration of Principles of Relations and Comprehensive Cooperation signed by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao, India recognised that the Tibetan Autonomous Region is part of the territory of the People’s Republic of China.
It reiterated that New Delhi will not allow Tibetans to engage in anti-China political activities in India. The Declaration and a Memorandum of Understanding on expanding border trade
3. THE MODI ERA
Appeasement of China reached new heights this era before the Galwan valley face off. Even though China kept supporting Pakistan based terrorists against India at UN, India tried to pacific China through informal talks
China took the Kashmir issue at UNSC multiple times at the behest of Pakistan but India didn’t say a word about Hong Kong. U.S and Australia openly blamed China of mishandling Coronavirus but India stayed silent
Only after the barbaric attack on Indian soldiers by the Chinese solders did India realise that appeasement will simply not work with China. India must take sides and move away from the year old non-aligned status
