CIA feared China could attack India through Nepal, Burma after 1962 war
Washington: Soon after the month-long Sino-India (Sino-Indian Border Conflict) war ended in November 1962, US intelligence officials feared that Chinese army could launch an attack on India through Nepal Bhutan and Myanmar, a CIA document has revealed.
A report in the Hindustan Times stated that a declassified document posted on US intelligence agency CIA's website said that China was possibly planning on 'giving the Indians another black eye' after the 1962 war.
Read: India 'still stuck' in 1962 war mindset: Chinese media
A series of events, including India's perception about Tibet and a common border between India and China, had caused the great Sino-India war in 1962. After a month-long fight, China declared a unilateral truce and withdrew its troops from Indian territory.
A DIA (Defence Intelligence Agency) document titled 'The Chinese Communist ground threat to India' stated that China was capable of attacking India through the border that connects Ladakh, Nepal, Bhutan and Assam.
Read: 1962 war veteran, who crossed into India, yearns to return to family in China
“It is estimated that the Chinese could support indefinitely operations in Ladakh, Nepal, Bhutan and eastern NEFA,” the document revealed.
The document also stated that China could have extended its hold in India by controlling the territory of Leh and seizing the northern side of the Joshimath city in Uttarakhand. China could also take control of Guwahati, but only if it could get a permanent lodgement in the region.
US intelligence agencies also said that China could also have possibly attacked India via Burma through two major routes -- Kunming-Dibrugarh road via Ledo and the Kunming-Tezpur road via Mandalay and Imphal.
Concluding their research, CIA stated that China could pose a ‘limited air threat’ to India due to the lack of required equipment and most importantly the lack of sufficient air force bases in Himalayas.
