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After weeks of "restraint" and insistence that Tibet was China's internal problem, India was put off this week, just a wee bit. China summoned the Indian ambassador at 2 a m to hand over details of protests that exiled Tibetans were allegedly planning in India. India immediately called off a high-level commerce-related visit to China. The government has denied that the middle-of-the-night call had anything to do with it and blamed it on a scheduling problem. India will also go ahead with its plans for a pomp-and-show inauguration of its first tourism office in Beijing in July.
India has remained remarkably tight-lipped and low-key about Tibet, insisting that Tibet was an integral part of China and that India would not allow any "anti-China" activities on its soil. When the protests began, it stopped (that's okay, legally speaking) Tibetan protesters from crossing the border into China. The strongest reaction from India so far has come from the external affairs ministry, which called the situation in Tibet 'distressing'. The Dalai Lama has remained calm about it, saying he found India's position over-cautious, but understandable.
So, why should we care about India's stand on Tibet? Because at the end of the day, the two countries that will be most affected by Tibet's fate are India and China.
The story of India, China and Tibet is complicated, nuanced and beyond the scope of a blog post. But here's an attempt at providing some perspective on why India can or should be a important player, and why it has been pussyfooting on this issue.
Geopolitics: Tibet, or 'The Roof of the World', is sandwiched between India's northern and eastern border on the one side and China's southwestern border on the other, with smaller countries like Nepal and Bhutan in between. It is the highest region in the world and of strategic importance to whoever controls it. India has accepted -- as have so many other countries -- China's sovereignty over Tibet, and so has Dalai Lama, except that he wants it to be autonomously governed for the most part.
Now, we are talking about a fundamental difference in world-view, not only between China and Tibet, but also between China and India. While China is an autocratic regime that gives little leeway for cultural or religious expression (to quote a recent Newsweek article: 'China's leaders used to think exposure to modern ideas would cure Tibetans of their devotion to the Dalai Lama and other "outmoded superstitions."' ), India is a multi-religious democracy.
Realpolitik: There's an increasing rift between the Dalai Lama with his autonomy and peace approach, and the younger generation or Tibetans who are getting restless and radical, demanding complete independence from China. The Dalai Lama lives in India and runs a "government" from there, elections and all. Tibetans have found sympathy, education and a life in India. The Indian government has little to worry about a relatively peaceful community in exile.
But with Tibetans in China beginning to loose their cool, India needs to take notice. When it comes to fighting for a common cause, it's only natural that Tibetans on both sides of the border will unite. And the cracks are beginning to show: Tibetans have held demonstrations in the country. They have requested Bollywood's much loved hero, Aamir Khan, and other personalities to not carry the Olympic torch when it arrives in India (although the government has assured China of its safe passage). The momentum is building up.
What happens after the Dalai Lama? Who will step into his shoes and make sure that his followers remain peaceful in India?
Culture -- The Child of Indian Civilization: Buddhism was born in India. While the religion is disappearing in the sub-continent, its principles are not. Dharm, karm and moksh are as much a part of Hindu life as they are of Buddhists. And religion continues to guide most of Indian life. Claude Arpi -- a French-born dentist who now lives in India and has written extensively on the politics of the region -- quotes the fourteenth Dalai Lama in his book, The Fate of Tibet, as saying about India:
For us, it has always been the Holy Land. It was the birthplace of the founder of the Buddhist culture and the source of wisdom brought to our mountains hundreds of years ago by Indian saints and seers. The religions and societies of Tibet and India have developed in different lines.
