Forward policy (Sino-Indian conflict)

[2] While London viewed Tibet under the wider context of its relations with China and Russia and was thus reluctant to provoke the two powers unnecessarily, Lord Curzon of the British Indian government was more eager to protect its commercial interests, such as trade routes crossing the Himalayas.

[12] Until 1971, Intelligence Bureau Director Mullik positively had advocated the forward policy decision made by Nehru.

[15][7] On 5 December 1961 orders went to the Eastern and Western commands:[16][17] [...] We are to patrol as far forward as possible from our present positions towards the International Border as recognized by us.

[...]The forward policy had Nehru identify a set of strategies designed with the ultimate goal of effectively forcing the Chinese from territory that the Indian government claimed.

India's thinking was partly based on the fact that China had many external problems in early 1962, especially with one of the Taiwan Strait Crises.

The issue was that Dhola Post was one mile north of the McMahon line and was clearly regarded as being in Chinese territory, even by Indian standards.

Thus began the Sino-Indian War, which lasted 30 days as China eventually pushed Indian forces back miles south of the McMahon line.