Under Nehru's Watch, In 1962, 'China Annexed 38,000 Sq Km of Indian Territory': Govt's Subtle Fact Bomb On Rahul Gandhi Amid SC Jab

The Minister of State for External Affairs, Kiriti Vardhan Singh, confirmed in the Lok Sabha today that China annexed around 38,000 square kilometers of Indian territory at the end of 1962 under Jawahar Lal Nehru’s watch, the then prime minister of India. The government's response also outlined diplomatic efforts made since 1962 to address the “outstanding boundary question.”

“At the end of the 1962 conflict, China was in illegal occupation of approximately 38,000 sq. km. of Indian territory. 1 There have been several initiatives taken bilaterally with China over the years to address the outstanding boundary question,” the minister replied.

The minister’s statement comes at a time when Rahul Gandhi has consistently questioned the ruling government on the issue of Chinese annexation of Indian land. The Congress MP first raised the matter during a press conference in 2022 as part of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, saying, “People will question the Yatra, but no one will ask why China has occupied 2,000 sq. km of our land and killed 20 Indian soldiers.”

In April 2025, on the 75th anniversary of India-China diplomatic relations, Gandhi again attacked the Centre, saying, “China has seized 4,000 sq. km now, yet our Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri was seen cutting cake with the Chinese Ambassador.”

The matter eventually reached the Supreme Court, which came down heavily on Rahul Gandhi, asking, “How do you know the Chinese have occupied Indian territory? Were you there? Do you have proof?”

In response to a question raised by MP Rao Rajendra Rao, the minister elaborated on the diplomatic efforts undertaken over the decades. He said, “Multiple diplomatic initiatives have been undertaken to resolve the border dispute. From December 1981 to November 1987, India and China conducted eight rounds of formal border negotiations at the Secretary level, following a visit by Chinese Foreign Minister Huang Hua to New Delhi in June 1981.

In December 1988, during Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's visit to China, both nations established the India-China Joint Working Group on the boundary question. This group met for 15 rounds between 1989 and 2005.”

A Renewed Focus on the Border Issue

The confirmation of the 38,000 sq. km figure has reignited attention on the long-standing India-China border dispute. The 1962 war resulted in a significant loss of Indian territory, creating a persistent source of tension between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.

The Line of Actual Control (LAC) remains largely undemarcated, and over the years, numerous skirmishes and standoffs—most notably in Doklam (2017) and Galwan Valley (2020)—have escalated tensions on both sides.

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