Nathu La: From conflict to commerce and beyond…
By Kartik Lokhande
The month of September and Nathu La, one of the three traditional passes between India and China, have some relationship. For, in September 1967, Nathu La saw a bloody ‘skirmish’ between both the countries. After 47 years, in September 2014, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited India to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and both the countries inked a historic pact providing for conducting annual Kailash Mansarovar Yatra for Indian devotees through Nathu La in Sikkim. Between 1967 and 2014, a lot many things have changed vis-à-vis Nathu La; the situation has changed from conflict to commerce; and with Mansarovar Yatra route, the relationship between India and China has moved beyond commerce also.
As is known to all, much of the business between India and China was carried through Silk Route via Tibet in old times. There are three traditional passes between Tibet and India – Shipki La in Himachal Pradesh, Lipulekh in Uttarakhand, and Nathu La in Sikkim. Though 2014 marks the beginning of a new era between both the countries, the journey this far has not been too smooth. The bloody ‘skirmish’ of 1967 still reminds Indians of China’s stand of not allowing any development on Indian side along the border. Of course, the Nathu La skirmish is the first and only instance in independent India when India gave a ‘bloody nose’ to China.
Located at a distance of only 52 kms from Gangtok, capital of present-day Indian state of Sikkim, Nathu La is still devoid of smooth road connectivity. Even on a clear day, at 14,140 ft, a non-acclimatised person finds it difficult to breathe. With snow mounds even in June, the wind chill factor adds to physical discomfort. At present, there are meeting halls on both sides of the border with only a barbed wire fence separating both. Indian and Chinese troops posted at Nathu La can see each other from close distance. If there are visitors on Indian side, a Chinese soldier appears on Chinese side across the fence and takes their photographs. The soldiers of both the countries today share friendly relations. This has become possible only because of trade between both the countries.
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| Published as lead story in The Hitavada's Sunday magazine 'Insight' on October 5, 2014 |
1967: When China got the ‘bloody nose’
After 1962 war between China and India, in which there were skirmishes between soldiers of both sides at Nathu La also, the pass was closed for trade. In the following years, the main defences of 17 Mountain Division of Indian Army were at Chhangu (or, Tsangu) and Nathu La was just an observation post. In 1965, to help Pakistan during 1965 war, China gave an ‘ultimatum’ to India to withdraw from posts at Nathu La and Jelep La, another observation post along the border. Keeping the ‘experience’ of 1962 in mind, the Divisional Commanders were authorized to vacate the posts in case of hostilities. Accordingly, 27 Mountain Division vacated Jelep La, only to be occupied by China.
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| Pics by Kartik Lokhande |
However, Major General Sagat Singh, the General Officer Commanding of 17 Mountain Division, refused to vacate Nathu La. As the Indian Army history reveals, Maj Gen Sagat Singh presented a strong reason that Nathu La and Jelep La were both the passes on the watershed, and vacating these passes would provide China a tactical advantage of observation and fire into India. In case of vacating the passes, Indian troops would be in a disadvantageous position. He continued holding the position and two years later, he was proven right when China tried to attack Nathu La but got a ‘bloody nose’ (as it is known in military history) at the hands of India.
But, this vindication did not come easily. Failing to get Nathu La, Chinese continued to mount pressure on Indian soldiers by way of loudspeaker announcements, show of military might, digging trenches along the border and other activities in 1966 and 1967. In 1967, 2 Grenadiers was ordered to counter Chinese action and lay a three-strand wire fence along the border from Nathu La towards North Shoulder area. The work that started on August 20, 1967, left Chinese furious. They asked the Indian soldiers to halt the work. Soon, Chinese intensified their activities and the situation escalated.
On September 7, the Indians resumed the work of laying the wire. As if waiting for this, around a hundred Chinese ran to the fence and hand-to-hand fight between Indian and Chinese troops ensued. On September 11, the Chinese mounted their attack that lasted for six days. Thanks to the vision of Maj Gen Sagat Singh, Indian side had the advantage of observation. Besides, most of the Chinese shells did not harm Indian troops as they fell behind the forward defences. In the six-day ‘skirmish’, 65 Indian soldiers laid their lives and 145 got wounded while holding Nathu La for India. On the other hand, the Chinese suffered around 300 casualties.
Unfortunately, even today, the Indian military and political
leadership do not talk openly about this glorious chapter in the history of
Indian Army. It appears that the 1962 war’s psychological impact still weighs
down on Indian side when it comes to talking about China and its military
aggression.
The Bilateral Trade through Nathu La
After the ‘skirmish’, there was a tense silence for years together. The experts from both the sides often reminded the countries of old trade ties, Silk Route, and cultural bond between India and China. In the later years of 1990s, the relations between both the countries started a new era with some good progress in trade. In 2006, Nathu La benefited from this and the pass was re-opened for bilateral trade after five decades.
Every year, the Indian traders are allowed to set up shops a few kilometers inside China, and the Chinese traders come down to Sherathang inside Indian territory. Sherathang is located between Nathu La and Gangtok. A visit to Sherathang leaves one wondering about the wonderful impact that trade can have on a border area where roads are still bumpy. Sherathang has border trade centre. Besides, the bilateral trade has yielded a telephone exchange and an internet café there.
In fact, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has the highest telephone exchange of India at Sherathang at the altitude of 14,000 ft. The community information centre set up by Sikkim Government’s Department of Information Technology and National Informatics Centre of Government of India, at Sherathang found place in Limca Book of Records in the year 2007. The centre, which is an internet café, found place in the record books for being the cyber café located at the highest altitude in the world. When there is trade season, this place is bustling with Chinese traders setting up shops and Indian traders trying to get the goods transported to various parts of the country. It is also an occasion for cultural exchange between the people from both sides of the border.
Sherathang also has a memorial for 267 martyrs, who made the supreme sacrifice protecting India along India-China border in the post-independence period. Interestingly, the memorial has been named ‘Watershed’, remembering the logic given by Maj Gen Sagat Singh while refusing to vacate Nathu La in 1965. The term ‘Watershed’ is used to describe the border in military parlance.
2014: A new beginning
With the trade relations between India and China having advanced over the years since 1967 vis-à-vis Nathu La, a new beginning has been made during the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to India earlier this month.
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