Page "Jawaharlal Nehru" Paragraph 100

From 1959, in a process that accelerated in 1961, Nehru adopted the " Forward Policy " of setting up military outposts in disputed areas of the Sino-Indian border, including in 43 outposts in territory not previously controlled by India.

China attacked some of these outposts, and thus the Sino-Indian War began, which India lost, and China withdrew to pre-war lines in eastern zone at Tawang but retained Aksai Chin which was within British India and was handed over to India after independence.

Later, Pakistan handed over some portion of Kashmir near Siachen controlled by Pakistan since 1948 to China.

The war exposed the unpreparedness of India's military which could send only 14 thousand troops to the war zone in opposition to many times larger Chinese army, and Nehru was widely criticised for his government's insufficient attention to defence.

In response, Nehru sacked the defence minister Krishna Menon and sought U. S. military aid.

Nehru's improved relations with USA under John F. Kennedy proved useful during the war, as in 1962, President of Pakistan ( then closely aligned with the Americans ) Ayub Khan was made to guarantee his neutrality in regards to India, who was threatened by " communist aggression from Red China.

" The Indian relationship with the Soviet Union, criticized by right-wing groups supporting free-market policies was also seemingly validated.

Nehru would continue to maintain his commitment to the non-aligned movement despite calls from some to settle down on one permanent ally.