When you are out in the field, things are messy. Mistakes are undoubtedly made, always and constantly. The key is to see how you respond and recover. The Indians had numerical and equipment superiority (you can see that, initially, the PLA soldiers and officers were all empty-handed while the Indian troops all had sticks and shields). The Indians caught the Chinese in a surprise. And they managed to take out the commanding officer of the PLA at the very beginning. The Indians had everything going for them. They had all the elements that they needed to land a landslide victory. However, they failed to monopolize their initial advantages. The Indians failed to advance and secure the location while the PLA was severely damaged. They allowed the PLA to hold their position even with inferior number and equipment and without commanding officers. They gave the PLA time for them to send in reinforcement, which resulted in their eventual loss. Tactically, this is an embarrassing loss for the Indians. They did not lose amid difficult situations. They lost despite overwhelming advantages on almost every aspect.
This conflict definitely shows the training and discipline of the PLA troops. Many have speculated that, after 40 years of peace, the PLA can no longer fight. Being the only kids in their families and grown up in good conditions, they have been so spoiled that they can no longer handle hardship. Well, this conflict shows that this is not true at all. They are not some spoiled kids who cry and run back to their moms when in trouble. Despite the initial overwhelming disadvantage and when facing almost certain death, they stood their ground and fought not only hard, but even more importantly in a very organized and disciplined manner. This is a well-trained and well-experienced and professional military.
The idea that anyone who can live in these conditions for years can be a softy is preposterous to start with.
