Sino-Indian war in 1962 was a follow-on from the uprising in Tibet

The 1962 border conflict between China and India was provoked by a series of violent border incidents after the 1959 Tibetan uprising, when India had granted asylum to the Dalai Lama.

The Chinese launched simultaneous offensives in Ladakh and across the McMahon Line on October 20, 1962, coinciding with the Cuban missile crisis. Chinese troops advanced over Indian forces in Chushul and Tawang districts.

The Chinese declared a ceasefire after 31 days and China announced its withdrawal from the disputed area.

Political analysts say that deteriorating relations with the former Soviet Union and threats from Chiang Kai-shek's plan to return to the mainland from Taiwan were reasons behind Beijing's withdrawal.

The harsh conditions - fighting occurred at altitudes of over 4,250 metres - were another key reason for the ceasefire.

Shanghai-based military expert Ni Lexiong said former Chinese leader Mao Zedong then decided to develop military infrastructure along the Sino-Indian border to enhance the People's Liberation Army's logistical capability in the 1960s. But Mao's plan made no progress due to a lack of technology and funding, and it wasn't until the 1990s that it started to bear fruit, Ni said.