 The effects of the Sino-Indian War of 1962 have meant that relations between the countries have been cautious and slow, but perhaps more importantly, the geographic barrier that the Himalayas represent provide potent mutual isolation.Indeed, the core of both civilizations, the Indo-Gangetic plain and the Central China Plain lies thousands of miles away across extremely inhospitable terrain.As such, direct ties and exchanges have languished, shockingly even in Nov 2015 in spite of both Modi's "Act East" policy and China's One Road One Belt push, still only 5 direct daily flights exist between the two giants, reflecting just how far the gulf between the two countries really is.