Chinese Signals to India

Battle of Se-La and Bomdi-La by Maj Gen PJS Sandhu (Retd)

Esteemed Friends,
Maj Gen PJS Sandhu (Retd) has written a very well researched and thought provoking article "Battle of Se-La and Bomdi-La" in the latest (Oct-Dec) Issue of the prestigious USI Journal.

The article throws fresh light on 1962 War with China based on Chinese documents and reports recently translated in to English. The Chinese planning and its execution to speedily overwhelm the Indian Army defences at Se-La and Bombdi-La are very well explained indeed..

In addition, the Author has carried out a very interesting comparison of Chinese attack on Se-La and Bomdi-La with the battle of CHOSIN RESERVOIR (located in North Korea) during the Korean War. In that battle in Nov 1950, the Chinese Forces attacked America led UN Forces (1st US Marine Division and some other nationality troops) and the dispositions of the UN Forces in CHOSIN RESORVOIR and those of the Indian Army in Se-La and Bomdi-La area in 1962 are comparable.

What is also very interesting is the last part of the article in which Gen Sandhu has analysed the Politico-Diplomatic Interactions prior to the 1962 War, between India and China. He has brought out how the Chinese sent signals to Indian leadership which were not interpreted correctly and taken note of.

Further, he has suggested that in the present context of our not so calm relationship with China, we should analyze the Chinese signals pragmatically in the light of what transpired between the two governments in 1962 prior to the active hostilities breaking out. As an example, Indian naval ships are sailing in to the South China Sea at times and there have been some reactions by the Chinese as also their out bursts regarding Indian companies carrying out oil exploration activities in the area need to be analysed.

You may like to lay your hands on the latest issue of the USI Journal and read the article in full. The article will be put on line only in April once the next Issue is out.
Best wishes.
Harbhajan Singh