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Context
Recent calling off major events of Tibetan community example, like cancellation of the 7th World Parliamentarian’s Convention on Tibet (WPCT), which had been planned for April 26-28 in Delhi
Author’s view
India shouldn’t use Tibetan refugees in India as a card in its relations with China
Why using the Tibetan card is not a correct strategy?
- Tibet had no role in deteriorating relations with China: Ties between New Delhi and Beijing have deteriorated over the past few years for a number of reasons unconnected to the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan population in India
- Changing ground realities in Tibet
- Development of Tibetan cities: The landscape of Tibet, now crisscrossed with railway lines, super-speed highways, tunnels and airports, has changed drastically in the past two decades e.g. Beijing-Lhasa railway line, the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) now sees many more such engineering marvels (albeit at the cost of its environment), and downtown Lhasa has all the trappings of a modern city
- Demographic shift in Tibet (Increasing Chinese influence): With Beijing populating areas with majority ‘Han’ Chinese workers, encouraging mixed marriages, and mainstreaming Chinese culture into the region
- Decreasing outflow of Tibetan refugees to India: The outflow of refugees from Tibet has been curtailed by the Chinese authorities over the last decade, mainly by convincing Nepal to close a popular route and the once bustling informal trade route between India and Tibet has also dried up
- New Generations born in India unaware of situation in Tibet: New generations of Tibetans born in India are brought up as exiles, without a real sense of what Tibet may actually be like, should they ever return
- Weak relations with India: The government’s attitude towards giving them citizenship has been stern, although it lost its case in the Delhi High Court (Namgyal Dolkar v. Government of India) and must give citizenship to all Tibetan refugees born between 1950 and 1987, the cut-off year.
- Uncertain future of Tibetan leadership: During his lifetime, the Dalai Lama has been a unifying force, guiding the community through their struggle in a peaceful manner, while accepting an autonomous Tibet as a part of China but after him, the direction the community takes will be of vital interest to India as well
What India needs to do?
- There is an urgent need for community outreach, surveys and a referendum, if necessary, to map what the Tibetan community in India wants in its future.
- For those who want to make India a permanent home, especially those in the new generation, India must reconsider its citizenship laws.
- Above all, the Indian foreign policy establishment needs to stop seeing the Tibetan population in India as a strategic tool
Conclusion
In short, the idea that India holds the “Tibet card” is out of step with all the shifts on the ground, and the government needs a proactive policy that takes into account these new realities.
