Nehru’s Folly and the ‘Loss’ of Tibet continues....

The Indian Army was then hard-pressed with
commitments in Kashmir, and the C-in-C was clear that this battalion could go no further than Yatung, in the Chumb valley opposite Nathu La and Jelep La in Sikkim, with at the most, a company further forward at Gyantse. At the meeting he explained that the Indian Army was neither equipped nor trained to operate at those heights, and would be seriously at a disadvantage against Chinese troops who were far more experienced in fighting in extremely cold conditions.

He also stated that the PLA was better armed, having acquired large quantities of American arms left behind by the retreating Nationalist (KMT) Army. B.N. Mullik recorded what he felt at the time: ‘What Cariappa said at that time was indeed very discouraging and disappointing because I had also favoured military intervention in Tibet to save it from China.’

Which was all very well both as a policy preference and as a sentiment, but there was unfortunately the total disconnect with the reality that the C-in-C had pointed out. Mullik’s adventurous preferences, as well as his lack of understanding of military realities on the ground were to make him one of the principal advocates of the ‘Forward Policy’ adopted by India from after September 1951.

During this period of imminent Chinese military operations against the ruling Tibetan regime both the Americans and the British were ready to play a double-faced game, using India as a pawn.

The American government recognized Tibet as a part of China, but President Truman was willing to provide transport aircraft to airlift a brigade of Indian troops for the defence of Chamdo, in the Kham region of Tibet. The British had indicated that they were willing to replace all arms and munitions transferred by the Indian Army to Tibet, while refusing to meet a Tibetan delegation.

But India’s own policy was firmly against such a neo-colonialist military venture, even had it been possible, and Nehru had embarked on an active policy of bringing Communist China on to the world stage

To be continued...