Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c4.s2.146

v1.c4.s2.146

During World War II, it was decided that diplomatic envoys would be exchanged between the Government of India (then still under British control) and the Nationalist Government in China. The first three envoys from the Indian side were Zafarullah Khan, K. P. S. Menon and K. M. Panikkar. On the Chinese side, the envoys were Shen Shih-hua, T. K. Tseng and Lo Chia-lun. Initially, the Indian envoys were stationed in Chongqing but with the end of the War, the Indian embassy shifted to Nanjing which once again became the headquarters of the Chinese government. After India became independent in August 1947, the status of the envoys on both sides was raised to that of Ambassador. This marked the establishment of diplomatic relations between the modern states of India and China for the first time.