In 1962, China and India fought a short but deeply consequential war high in the Himalayas. This episode explores how unclear colonial-era borders, the question of Tibet, Aksai Chin, the McMahon Line, and rising nationalist fears pushed two post-colonial giants from friendship into conflict. We look at why the Sino-Indian War became a lasting wound in Asian geopolitics, how it reshaped India’s strategic thinking, and why the unresolved border still affects China–India relations today.