Battle of Walong | |||||||||
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Part of Sino-Indian War | |||||||||
The war memorial at Walong | |||||||||
| |||||||||
Belligerents | |||||||||
India | People's Republic of China | ||||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
Brig. N.C. Rawlley | Dong Zhanlin | ||||||||
Units involved | |||||||||
11 Infantry Brigade
| 130 Infantry Division
| ||||||||
Strength | |||||||||
2,191 [1] | ~6000 | ||||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||||
11 Infantry Brigade: | 130 Infantry Division: |
The Battle of Walong took place during the Sino-Indian War of 1962. It took place near the town of Walong in the eastern sector of the conflict, in the present-day Arunachal Pradesh region of India. Indian forces, despite being outnumbered and under equipped, resisted the Chinese advance for nearly a month. [3]
The Sino-Indian War was the result of long-standing border disputes between India and China. In particular, the Chinese government refused to recognize the McMahon Line, which had been established as the boundary between British India and Tibet in 1914. [4] The area of Walong, lying close to the disputed border, became a key battleground in the northeastern sector of the war. By October 1962, Chinese forces had already begun advancing into Indian-held territory, and the Indian Army was tasked with defending key positions along the border. [5] At Walong, the responsibility for defense fell to the Indian 11th Infantry Brigade, led by Brigadier N.C. Rawlley.[ citation needed ]
The battle began on 21 October 1962, when Chinese forces launched their first attack on Indian positions. [6] The Indian defenders, consisting primarily of troops from the 4th Sikh Regiment and the 6th Kumaon Regiment, had prepared defensive positions along the ridges and valleys around Walong. Despite being outnumbered, the Indian forces put up a determined defense, engaging the Chinese in fierce combat for nearly four weeks. [7] Using the difficult terrain to their advantage, Indian troops created bottlenecks and ambushes to slow the advancing Chinese forces. [8] By 16 November 1962, however, after suffering heavy casualties and running low on supplies, the Indian forces were ordered to withdraw. [9] The Chinese forces took control of Walong, but their advance had been significantly delayed by the Indian resistance. [10]
The Battle of Walong is remembered for the bravery of the Indian soldiers who fought against overwhelming odds. [11] The delaying action at Walong gave the Indian Army time to regroup further south, preventing a deeper Chinese advance into Indian territory. [12] The Sino-Indian War ended shortly after the Battle of Walong, with China declaring a unilateral ceasefire on 21 November 1962. [13] [14]
The Battle of Walong has become a symbol of Indian resistance during the 1962 war, despite the overall outcome of the conflict. In 2012, a memorial was built in Walong to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the battle. [15] Veterans and military historians continue to study the battle for its lessons in mountain warfare, especially the importance of terrain and logistics. [16]
The Sino–Indian War, also known as the China–India War or the Indo–China War, was an armed conflict between China and India that took place from October to November 1962. It was a military escalation of the Sino–Indian border dispute. Fighting occurred along India's border with China, in India's North-East Frontier Agency east of Bhutan, and in Aksai Chin west of Nepal.
The Battle of Longewala was one of the first major engagements in the western sector during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, fought between assaulting Pakistani forces and Indian defenders at the Indian border post of Longewala, in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan. The battle was fought between 120 Indian soldiers accompanied by four Hawker Hunter and three HAL Marut fighter-bombers and 2,000–3,000 Pakistani soldiers accompanied by 30–40 tanks.
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Walong is an administrative town and the headquarters of eponymous circle in the Anjaw district in eastern-most part of Arunachal Pradesh state in India. It also has a small cantonment of the Indian Army. Walong is on banks of Lohit River, which enters India 35 km north of Walong at India-China LAC at Kaho pass.
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