Why did China invade India in 648?

 In 649 AD, a Chinese-Tibetan force, led by the Chinese official Wang Xuance, invaded parts of India. This military action was a response to a diplomatic conflict and was influenced by the changing political and religious dynamics in India following Emperor Harsha's death.

The narrative begins with the famous journey of Xuanzang, a Chinese Buddhist monk, to India. His travels were significant for fostering cultural and religious exchanges between India and China, particularly in the spread of Buddhism to China. During this time, diplomatic relations between the Tang Dynasty in China and Emperor Harsha's India were initially harmonious and focused on scholarly and cultural exchanges.

Wang Xuance, a diplomat and military official from the Tang Dynasty, was involved in these diplomatic missions. His first mission to India around 643 AD occurred during the peaceful reign of Emperor Harsha and was characterized by friendly diplomatic relations.

However, the situation took a dramatic turn after Harsha's death in 647 AD, which led to a shift in India's political and religious landscape. When Wang Xuance returned to India in 648, he faced hostility, reportedly due to a backlash against Buddhist political influence and possibly because of perceived Chinese support for Indian Buddhists. This hostile reception culminated in Wang Xuance being detained and his mission being thwarted, after which he narrowly escaped to Tibet.

Leveraging the then-positive relations between China and Tibet, Wang Xuance organized a military response to this incident. In 649, a joint Chinese-Tibetan force invaded parts of India, specifically targeting regions in Bengal. This invasion, according to Chinese historical records, was a successful punitive expedition, resulting in the temporary submission of these areas.

The historical records and interpretations of this event vary. While detailed in Chinese sources, the incident is less known in Indian historical accounts and is seen as having limited long-term impact.

649 - The year China first invaded India

The geopolitical implications of Xuanzang’s round-trip This is an archived blog post from The Acorn. The Chinese Buddhist monk Xuanzang’s journey

https://www.nitinpai.in/2009/10/23/649-the-year-china-first-invaded-india