Mentor’s Comment:  India and China are engaged in a growing geopolitical contest over influence in the Himalayan Buddhist sphere, especially regarding spiritual leadership, monastic networks, and cultural legitimacy. With the Dalai Lama’s succession looming, both countries are using Buddhism as a strategic tool to shape regional loyalties, particularly in border areas like Ladakh, Tawang, Nepal, and Bhutan. This spiritual soft power struggle is emerging as a critical front in India-China rivalry, alongside their military and maritime tensions.

Today’s editorial analyses the Issues related to Himalayan Buddhist sphere between India and China. This topic is important for GS Paper I (Indian Society, Ancient India and Geography), GS Paper II (International Relations)  in the UPSC mains exam.

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Let’s learn!

Why in the News?

The Himalayas are the true battleground for a future clash between the Asian powers (India and China), as both sides try to win the support of people living along the border.

How is China leveraging Buddhism in the Himalayas to influence the region and challenge India?

• State-controlled Buddhism: China uses Buddhism as a tool of statecraft, asserting the right to control reincarnations (e.g., the 2007 rule requiring official approval for “Living Buddhas”).
• Soft power through infrastructure: Beijing builds roads, shrines, and monasteries in border regions and funds Buddhist projects (e.g., in Nepal’s Lumbini).
• Buddhist diplomacy: China invites Himalayan monks to conferences, slowly shifting their spiritual loyalties.
• Manipulating internal sect disputes: China supports splinter sects (e.g., Dorje Shugden) to undermine Tibetan unity and weaken India’s influence.

Why is the Dalai Lama’s succession a strategic issue for India-China relations?

• Dual claims: The 90-year-old Dalai Lama has hinted at reincarnating outside Chinese control (likely India), while China insists on selecting a successor through its Golden Urn method.
• Split leadership: This could lead to two rival Dalai Lamas — one backed by India and the Tibetan diaspora, and another by China in Lhasa.
• Regional impact: This schism would force Himalayan Buddhist populations (Ladakh, Bhutan, Tawang) to choose allegiances, influencing their political alignment.

What challenges does India face in countering China’s Buddhist diplomacy?

• Lack of a Coordinated National Strategy: India’s Buddhist outreach remains fragmented across ministries (Culture, External Affairs, Tourism), lacking a central vision or institutional mechanism. Eg: While India promotes the Buddhist circuit (Bodh Gaya, Sarnath), it has limited regional engagement with Himalayan Buddhist leaders compared to China’s structured approach.
• Sectarian Divisions Within Indian Buddhism: Rivalries among sects, such as the two Karmapas (Ogyen Trinley Dorje vs. Thaye Dorje), weaken India’s ability to present a unified spiritual leadership. Eg: The divided Karmapa lineage allows China to exploit internal rifts and influence parts of the Kagyu sect in Sikkim and beyond.
• Delayed Response to China’s Assertive Moves: India has been slow to counter China’s active engagement with Himalayan monasteries, especially in Nepal and Bhutan, where spiritual allegiance is also geopolitical. Eg: China’s investments in Lumbini (Buddha’s birthplace) and support for Shugden sects in Nepal show how it uses religious infrastructure to undermine India’s influence.

How does the spiritual identity of the Himalayan regions affect their geopolitical stance?

• Loyalty to Buddhist Lineages Influences Foreign Policy Orientation: Regions like Ladakh, Sikkim, Bhutan, and parts of Nepal follow Tibetan Buddhist traditions (Gelug, Kagyu, Nyingma), which often align them spiritually with Dharamsala-based Tibetan leadership under the Dalai Lama. This shapes their emotional, cultural, and sometimes strategic affinity with India over China.
• Religious Influence Determines Soft Power Competition: China uses religious diplomacy, including recognising Buddhist leaders and promoting pro-China sects (e.g., Shugden), to erode India’s cultural sway in the Himalayas. Spiritual loyalties in monasteries can subtly shift political allegiances, especially in Nepal and Bhutan.
• Monasteries Act as Political and Social Anchors: In Himalayan societies, monastic institutions are not just religious centres but also sources of local leadership, education, and conflict resolution. Control or influence over these can tilt regional attitudes towards either India or China, making them strategic soft power assets.

How can India use its Buddhist heritage to boost regional influence? (Way forward)

• Strengthen Cultural Diplomacy through Buddhist Circuits: India can promote Buddhist pilgrimage sites like Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, and Kushinagar as centres of global Buddhist unity. Eg: India’s International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) can be used to host annual regional Buddhist summits to enhance people-to-people ties with countries like Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, and Nepal.
• Support and Recognize Key Monastic Leaders in the Himalayas: India can nurture its ties with Tibetan Buddhist communities in Ladakh, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh by supporting locally respected Rinpoches and monastic institutions. Eg: Facilitating wider recognition of the 17th Karmapa (Ugyen Trinley Dorje) can help project a unified spiritual leadership from Indian soil and counter China’s manipulation of Buddhist lineages.
• Leverage Buddhist Soft Power in Neighbourhood Diplomacy: By incorporating Buddhism in regional initiatives like Neighbourhood First and Act East, India can expand cultural influence over ASEAN and SAARC nations. Eg: India’s Lumbini-Bodh Gaya direct air link with Nepal and cultural grants to Myanmar monasteries show how soft power can strengthen strategic partnerships.

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