Reconstructing tectonic evolution of any orogenic belts in term of plate tectonics has long been a challenge and a keypoint in progress of geological sciences. No commonly widely accepted tectonic model of most orogenic belts including the oblique collision belt between India and Eurasia appeared so far. Such a situation is unusual in that there has already been a tremendous body of high quality geological data for each orogenic belt. We propose two possible reasons for such situation including the absences in detailed analysis of the temporal and spatial distribution of these data and a few misinterpretations of some key geological units. We have conducted detailed geological mapping and structural analysis in the Sanjiang orogenic belt, northern segment of the oblique collisional belt for more than ten years. This has enabled the identification of a new Cenozoic tectonic framework and the complete crustal deformation history of the oblique collisional belt, as well as a new IndiaEurasia collision model consisting of threestages. Our experience in the oblique collisional belt demonstrates that regional geological mapping strictly following the threesteps process as wellexhibited by the structural analysis method likely is the best way to improve our understanding of any orogenic belt. Unfortunately, effective geological mapping is one of the hardest job in our geological society, which requires the mappers are all welleducated and rigorously trained.