I think it was poor planning and inadequate funding for the Indian armed forces that led to their disasterous performance in the sino-indian war of winter 1962. The PLA and the PLAAF were better prepared under a disciplined communist leadership. The chinese were planning the assault for more than 3 years and major powers did not intervene on behalf of India aggresively as they did later in Vietnam. However now the indian armed forces have strengthened themselves and are better equipped for at least a month long war with the PLA. The border skirmishes of 1967 and 1986  with PLA have shown their resolve to repulse any adventurism. India needs to urgently up grade its air force and we require at least 80-85 new and state of the art fighter jets and the navy requires at least 7-8 each of missile frigrates and destroyers to match the might of the chinese navy in the Indian ocean.I still believe that a chinese attack on India is imminent in the next 10-11 years due to various factors. For more information read my review in the India china military comparison (ABY).        

 

                                                                                                                         Bharat

                                                                                                                October, 24, 2009

"Mao's instructions were quite simple on the other hand. It was simply to envelop every single Indian force and wait for the Indians to either retreat or move into vulnerable position."

 

Classic "wei qi" or "go" manuever, and Mao was a recognized expert in this ancient game.  And the troops the PRC used against India weren't just experienced from the Korean War, most Korean War troops were Chinese Civil War vets as well and most of Mao's leaders were former warlords that he had defeated in battle. That is an awful lot of experience to contend with.

 

As for why China wants that part of India:

1. Similar to Taiwan, built up support for the CCP regaining "lost" territories.  These days the CCP is openly split into elitist (the princelings) and the populist (Hu/Wen) camps. 

2. The Dalai Lama is losing the ability to control the Tibetan Resistance, especially as it starts to coordinate with the E. Turkestan movement and train with Al Queda.

3. Tibetan Buddhism's second holiest temple is in the contested Indian state, as is the exiled Tibetan government.

4. China is dying of thirst, the water it does have is nearly 100% polluted beyond reasonable treatment.  The treatment plants that are built in the big 10 cities are finding their systems overrun with pollution, including mass die-offs of the bacterial tanks.

The surface and ground water are so systemically ruined that the soil is also tainted with a buffet of organic and inorganic pollutants, ruining crops and making the soil toxic to the touch.

 

#4 alone is reason enough, China is in a real bind with water and they won't be able to sustain their industry to 2050.  In fact it will probably fail sooner.  Nuke reactor plants can't be built due to water quality and availability.

 

Expect China to make a mad dash for the Brahmaputra basin and then threaten nuclear war if India doesn't agree to a new line of control.