IDSA Task Force Report May 2012 TIBET AND INDIA'S SECURITY: HIMALAYAN REGION, REFUGEES AND SINO-INDIAN RELATIONS Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses New Delhi 1 Tibet and India’s Security Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, New Delhi. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, sorted in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photo-copying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA). ISBN: 81-86019-99-5 Disclaimer: The views expressed in this Report are of the Task Force members and do not necessarily reflect those of the Institute or the Government of India. First Published: May 2012 Price: Rs. 375/- Published by: Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses No.1, Development Enclave, Rao Tula Ram Marg, Delhi Cantt., New Delhi - 110 010 Tel. (91-11) 2671-7983 Fax.(91-11) 2615 4191 E-mail: [email protected] Website: http://www.idsa.in Layout & Cover by: Geeta Kumari Printed at: M/s A. M. Offsetters A-57, Sector-10, Noida-201 301 (U.P.) Mob.: 09810888667 E-mail : [email protected] 2 CONTENTS i. Preface .................................................................................................... 5 CHAPTER- 1 Introduction ................................................................................................. 9 CHAPTER- 2 Buddhism in the Himalayan Belt ............................................................. 24 CHAPTER- 3 Why Refugees and Status of the Tibetan Refugees in India, Bhutan and Nepal ...................................................................................... 72 CHAPTER- 4 Post-Dalai Lama Contingencies .............................................................. 105 CHAPTER- 5 Influence Wielded by the Tibetan Refugees in Indian Socio-political Environment .................................................................... 115 CHAPTER- 5A Survey of Refugee Establishments: Dharamsala and Dehradun in 2009 .................................................................................... 117 CHAPTER- 5B Visits to Tibetan Establishments and Events ........................................ 132 CHAPTER- 6 The Chinese Approach to the Tibetan Question .................................... 146 CHAPTER- 7 Influence of the Monastic Organisations including the Dalai Lama's Institution on the Sino-Indian Border Question and Tawang ............. 154 3 Tibet and India’s Security CHAPTER- 8 Tibetan Refugees and India's Security .................................................... 159 CHAPTER- 9 Policy Suggestions and Conclusion ......................................................... 162 Epilogue and Post Script ....................................................................... 190 Index ........................................................................................................ 204 4 Preface PREFACE INTRODUCTION was thus born. A Task Force was formed with Dr Jagannath Panda and Dr Zakir In April 2007 on a field visit to study Hussain volunteering as members. the inflow of Siang river (Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet) into India, I stayed at border town Tuting and village RESEARCH QUESTIONS Gelling in Siang District of Arunachal Nine research questions were Pradesh peopled by the Membas and identified: the Khambas. The peacefulness of this (a) What is the influence of Tibetan Buddhist border region of the Buddhism on the Indian Himalayan Himalayas was striking. This harsh belt? region is peopled by Indians of Mongoloid ethnicity. They are (b) What is the status of Tibetan refugees in India in terms of religion adherents of Mahayana Buddhism, and political affiliations? which is practised in Tibet and Bhutan as well. They are also sincere (c) What would be the post-Dalai Lama nationalists and have never indulged in scenario? insurgency. Their culture and ethnicity (d) How much influence do Tibetan is either Tibetan or is influenced by it. refugees wield in the Indian socio- political environment? Later that year while visiting the region of Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh in the (e) How do Tibetan refugees factor in Sino-Indian relations? border town of Pooh to study the inflow of the Sutlej from Tibet, I experienced (f) How much influence do the the same Buddhist culture and peaceful monastic organizations, including ethos as in Ladakh where I had the good the Dalai Lama, have on the Sino- Indian border question including fortune to serve for two years in the Tawang? 1980s. In my feedback presentation at IDSA, I concluded that it was apparent (g) Are the Tibetan refugees a threat to that all along the border with Tibet, Indian security? Indians practice Buddhism. Hence, it is (h) What is the Chinese approach to the important to understand the strong Tibet question as well as to the post- influence of Buddhism near the Dalai Lama scenario? Himalayan border. It was also clear that (i) What is the role and influence of Buddhism needs to be nurtured. religion, especially Buddhism, in Tibetan refugees in India also practice today's China? Buddhism and regard India as the land of gurus and the birthplace of METHODOLOGY Buddhism. This soft power inherent in India needs further research. The idea This study is based on interviews, 5 Tibet and India’s Security fieldwork, survey of literature and impact of Tibetans in exile on our theoretical insights. Dharamsala national security. (Himachal Pradesh), Dehradun (b) The Tawang region of Arunachal (Uttarakhand), Mundgod (Karnataka), Pradesh, to which China lays claim Ladakh (Jammu and Kashmir), Tawang as its territory raises crucial and Kameng (Arunachal Pradesh), questions on the security of India's Gangtok (Sikkim), Bodh Gaya , Rajgir territories in the Himalayan border and Nalandan (Bihar) and Sarnath region. There is a need for an (Uttar Pradesh) were visited. Dr Panda intensive study of the identity of the conducted a field-study, survey and locals residing in Tawang. interview while in China. During his visit many experts in premier Chinese (c) India has about 120,000 Tibetans-in- research institutions in Shanghai, exile spread across 35 settlements. Beijing, Sichuan and Guangzhou were Refugees residing along the consulted. Their views have been Himalayan border region practice included in relevant portions. various shades of Tibetan Buddhism. Some of the exiled SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS Tibetans aim to free Tibet from Chinese rule. The political Assessment of this work is based on affiliations and objectives of Tibetan field work and open access. No inputs refugees have significant from Research and Analysis Wing ramifications for Indian security. (R and AW), Intelligence Bureau (IB), Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and (d) Indian Buddhists practicing Tibetan the like were sought. The research was Buddhism outnumber the Tibetan bottom up by field visits, interaction refugees. There is a need to study with some Tibetans, survey of literature their linkages with and impact on and interactions with scholars at the the post-Dalai Lama scenario. IDSA and international scholars. (Yet (e) There needs to be focused during research and meetings, many investigation of links between Tibetans thought I was from the R and Tibetan exiles and Indian citizens AW due to the title “Analyses” in the who practice Tibetan Buddhism: visiting card of IDSA). religious, philosophical, spiritual and social. IMPORTANCE AND POLICY RELEVANCE OF THE SUBJECT (f) There are some writings on ‘Tibetization’- of the Indian The following factors were considered Himalayan belt. They point out that as being policy relevant: a large number of Tibetan refugees, (a) The Tibetan factor is inextricably most of them followers of linked with the Sino-Indian border Buddhism, have settled all along the dispute. With the ongoing Sino- Himalayan belt of India. These Indian border negotiations coupled groups privately lay claim to with the various scenarios in Tibet territories extending from Bhutan to and the institution of the Dalai Ladakh. It has also been said that Lama, there is a need to study the Tibetan monks have taken control 6 Preface over almost all Indian monasteries Vol. 44, No.1 and 2, 2008 by P.K. Gautam from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh. which included two boxes and These assertions need to be studied. “Buddhism in China” and “Ethnicity and Literature survey of the Indian (g) The role of the Karmapa in the Himalayan Belt and its relationship with Tibetan community also needs Tibet”. We thank the editor for granting study, particularly in the post-Dalai permission of print the article. Chapter Lama context. Three covers the status of Tibetan refugees. Chapter Four is about the TITLE AND LAYOUT OF THE BOOK post-Dalai Lama contingencies. Chapter The initial title of the task force was Five covers the influence of Tibetan “Tibetan Refugees in India: refugees in the Indian socio-political Implications for Indian Security”. Later environment. Chapter Five-A is the as work progressed it was realised that outcome of a field visit to Dharamsala cultural and religious issues of the and Dehradun where Tibetans-in-exile Himalayan region and Sino-Indian were interviewed by Dr Jagannath P. relations were also central to the Panda and Dr Zakir Hussian. Chapter research. The title was changed with Five-B pertains to visits to refugee that logic. After an in-house establishments and events done by me. presentation of the findings in Chapter Six is about the Chinese September 2009, the report titled “Tibet approach to the Tibet question.