ORDER OF BATTLE // November 18, 1962
Battle of Rezang La
Estimated force strength by side, with confidence labels per surviving record.
Forces engaged
1 sides catalogued · combined 3,000 estimated
China
3,000
Medium-confidence figure
Battle context
The Battle of Rezang La took place on November 18, 1962, during the second phase of the Sino-Indian War along the western line of actual control. The engagement is notable for the scale of reported Chinese casualties — 1,400 against a Chinese force of approximately 3,000 — under the command of Indian officer Shaitan Singh. The battle is referred to in Chinese accounts as the Battle of No. 8 and No. 9 Indian Posts in Ngari, reflecting its contested place in the narratives of both sides. Its occurrence in the war's second phase situates it within the broader Chinese offensive that ultimately compelled India to reassess its forward policy and military preparedness along disputed Himalayan borders.
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Monograph