National Solidarity day – 20 October

India celebrates National Solidarity day on 20th October every year to remember its solidarity. It was on this historic day in 1962 when China attacked India that continued for about a month until a ceasefire was declared by China on 21st November 1962.

India lost the war and there was a huge loss of life and property, but the entire country was united condemning the act of China and showed heart-warming solidarity, and united team spirit in order to protect the nation.

Sino-Indo War, 1962

• The Republic of India after Independence was maintaining a warm and friendly relationship with its neighbouring country China.
• Both India and China had a great long history and some social-cultural ties for quite a long time.
• Both the nations were rebuilding themselves and defining their official borders with this they had a border tension with Aksai Chin in Ladakh, Western front (Johnson line) and Arunachal Pradesh, North- Eastern front (McMahon line)
• Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence (The Panchsheel) was signed between India and China in 1954.
• With this India recognized and supported Chinese Rule in Tibet.
• China was represented by India at International Meetings and conferences.
• It was this time when former Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru gave the slogan “Hindi-Chini Bhai-Bhai“
• In 1958, Aksai Chin was officially marked by India as its territory.
• In 1959, India gave asylum to Dalai Lama after the Tibet uprising which increased the tension among both the countries.
• China believed India as its threat over the Tibet rule and this was one of the main reasons behind the Sino-Indo war.
• In 1960, India was asked to surrender its claim over the territory of Aksai Chin, if it did so, then China would not claim anything from North Eastern Frontier Agency.
• Be that as it may, Nehru dismissed these offers saying that China has no genuine right to claim any of the territories as the disputed area belongs to India officially.
• After this India with its ‘Forward Policy’ started sending troops and patrols on the borders of disputed territories.
• It deteriorates the relationship between India and China when a portion of these troops crossed the border and entered the Chinese territory.
• On 22nd October 1962, China attacked India with almost 80,000 armed forces. India was not prepared for the war and came up with approximately 10,000 soldiers.
• On 21st November 1962, China announced a ceasefire and took Aksai Chin as its territory.

In wake of the current border dispute and deadliest border clash in decades between India and China, it is time to remember the Indo-China war of 1962, and National Solidarity day another forgotten relic of patriotic fervor.