Amit R Das Gupta - The Sino-Indian War of 1962: New Perspectives

The Sino-Indian border war of 1962 forms a major landmark in South Asian, Asian and Cold War history. Among others, it resulted in an unresolved conflict permanently hindering rapprochement between China and India, the establishment of the Sino-Pakistani axis, the deepening of the Sino-Soviet split and had a lasting impact on Indian domestic affairs.

This volume draws on new documentary evidence to re-evaluate perceptions, motivations and decision-making processes of both antagonists, but also of third powers immediately affected by the conflict. It also investigates the effect on Indias internal politics, its Constitution, the Communist Party of India and the fate of Indians of Chinese origin. Finally, it analyses how the conflict is viewed in India today and its ramifications for IndiaChina relationship.

A major intervention in the Asian historical landscape, this book will be indispensable to scholars and researchers of modern history, especially of modern South Asia and China, international relations, defence and strategic studies, international politics and government. It will also be useful for think-tanks and government agencies.

Amit R. Das Gupta is Senior Researcher at the Universitt der Bundeswehr Mnchen, Germany. Previously he was affiliated with the German Institute of the University of Amsterdam, the Institute for Contemporary History, Department Berlin, Foreign Office and Jacobs University Bremen. After a first book on West Germanys South Asia policy between 1949 and 1966, he has authored a political biography of Foreign Secretary Subimal Dutt. Currently, he is writing a monograph on the impact of officers of the Indian Civil Services on Indian foreign policy after independence.

Lorenz M. Lthi is Associate Professor of History of International Relations at McGill University, Canada. His first book dealt with the Sino-Soviet Split and has been translated into Polish and Chinese. He has written on China, Vietnam, non-alignment, Germany and the socialist world during the Cold War. At present, he is working on an international history of the Cold Wars in Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

This book is an essential contribution to discussions on the IndiaChina war of 1962, its origins and its aftermath. In twelve chapters and a comprehensive introduction, the editors have put together studies that answer most of the remaining questions about the conflict, put to rest many controversies, and shed light on the existing obstacles to better relations between Asias two largest countries and emerging world powers. This volume will be mandatory reading for politicians, historians and researchers in all the countries covered by the book.

Krishnan Srinivasan, Former Indian Foreign Secretary, Government of India

This excellent and timely volume revisits the Sino-Indian war of 1962 a brief but immensely consequential conflict. Dasgupta and Luthi have brought together a group of fine scholars to examine afresh the causes and consequences of the conflict. The volume is particularly noteworthy for its attempt to situate the Sino-Indian war against a wider international backdrop of the Cold War and decolonisation. This book will be indispensable for scholars and general readers alike.

Srinath Raghavan, Senior Fellow, Centre for Policy Studies, New Delhi, India

This important collection of original essays sheds fresh light on the origins, course, and consequences of one of the Cold War eras seminal and yet most understudied conflicts. The authors demonstrate the great value of history written from a truly international, multi-archival perspective. Highly recommended for all students of China, India, and, more broadly, the post-1945 world order.

Robert J. McMahon, Ralph Mershon Professor of History, Ohio State University, USA

Edited by Amit R. Das Gupta and Lorenz M. Lthi

First published 2017
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2017 selection and editorial matter, Amit R. Das Gupta and Lorenz M. Lthi; individual chapters, the contributors

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ISBN: 978-1-138-69320-3 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-315-38894-6 (ebk)

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LORENZ M. LTHI AND AMIT R. DAS GUPTA

Part 1
Bilateral perspectives

LORENZ M. LTHI

AMIT R. DAS GUPTA

DAI CHAOWU

ERIC HYER

Part 2
International perspectives

PAUL MCGARR

AMIT R. DAS GUPTA

ANDREAS HILGER

JOVAN AVOKI

Part 3
Domestic perspectives

IMTIAZ OMAR

SUBHO BASU

PAYAL BANERJEE

JABIN T. JACOB

All maps are based on Srinath Raghavan, War and Peace in Modern India, pp. 231, 232 and 265 (Ranikhet: Permanent Black, 2010), and are published with the kind permission of Srinath Raghavan and Permanent Black.

We would like to express our gratitude to Srinath Raghavan for allowing us to use maps originally published in his book, to Shoma Choudhury for steering the volume through the publication process, to numerous friends and reviewers who have read and commented on parts or the whole manuscript and to the copyeditor and the publishers.

Payal Banerjee teaches Sociology at Smith College, USA. Her research includes three projects: Indian IT workers in the United States; Chinese minorities in Indias post-1962 era; and the issue of Green growth and river dams in Indias Northeast.

Subho Basu is Associate Professor in the Department of History and Classical Studies, McGill University, Canada. He has widely published on labour history and contemporary Indian politics.

Jovan avoki is a researcher at the Institute for Recent History of Serbia and holds a PhD in diplomatic history from the School of International Studies, Peking University, Peoples Republic of China.