Tibetan Government in Exile, Dalai Lama and India-China Relations
The relic of a poignant historical event recently came to light with the advent of the demise of the last surviving member of the Indian soldiers who escorted the Dalai Lama during his exodus from Tibet in 1959. This fact draws attention towards Tibetan Government in Exile, signifying how the condition of Tibet and its religious head Dalai Lama significantly impacts relations between India and China.
Contextualizing the Dalai Lama and Tibetan Buddhism
Dalai Lama, currently Tenzin Gyatso being the 14th, is an integral figure of the Gelugpa tradition which is the largest and most influential tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. The Dalai Lama, according to Tibetan Buddhist beliefs, manifests as Avalokiteshvara or Chenrezig, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, essentially committing their reincarnation to serve humanity. Interestingly, only the first two Dalai Lamas were given the title posthumously, marking the 14th as the current spiritual and temporal leader of Tibetans around the globe.
The Dalai Lama’s Exodus and the Resultant Tibetan Government in Exile
The political landscape of China in the 1950s saw Tibet falling under Chinese jurisdiction. During the Tibetan uprising of 1959, however, a bloody revolt led by Tibetans demanding an end to Chinese rule was savagely crushed by the Chinese People’s Republic troops. Amidst these circumstances, Dalai Lama fled from Tibet to India with an entourage of followers. In India, he was offered asylum by former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, thereby resulting in the formation of the Tibetan Government in Exile in Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh.
Process to Choose Successor to Current Dalai Lama
The majority belief in Tibetan Buddhism relies on the principle of reincarnation, where the incumbent Dalai Lama is understood to be able to choose their reincarnate. It falls upon the High Lamas of the Gelugpa tradition and the Tibetan government to find the next Dalai Lama. If faced with multiple candidates, the true successor is determined by a public ceremony of drawing lots. Subsequently, they are moved to Lhasa (or Dharamsala), and they study Buddhist scriptures in preparation for spiritual leadership, a process that could take several years.
Tibet, Dalai Lama, and Their Effects on India-China Relations
Historically, Tibet functioned as India’s immediate neighbour for centuries. The boundaries were determined by the Simla convention signed in 1914 by Tibetan representatives along with the Chinese with British India. However, after China’s full accession of Tibet in 1950, it renounced the convention and the McMahon line that divided the two countries. Presently, the issue of Dalai Lama’s influence over Tibetans is one of the significant irritants between India and China. In response to China’s ongoing aggression at the Line of Actual Control, India uses the Tibetan card as a countermeasure.
India’s Evolving Tibet Policy
With growing tensions between India and China, India’s Tibet policy witnesses a marked shift with the Indian government becoming more active in managing the Dalai Lama in public forums. This policy adjustment is largely symbolic but faces numerous challenges concerning India’s Approach to Tibet Policy.
Currently, India practices an executive policy on Tibetans in India that lacks legal backing on core issues of Tibet, such as Tibetans’ demand for freedom in Tibet. To counter this, India may need to adopt a more assertive stand on the Tibet issue in dealing with China.
Moreover, India should avert a situation where the Tibetan population residing in India looks externally for leadership and command structure after the Dalai Lama’s departure. It is therefore imperative for India to strategize effective policies to address these concerns constructively.
