Refusing to upset China? India hasn't done enough to honour the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan cause

By N.S. Venkataraman*

His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the globally revered Tibetan Buddhist monk, is entering his ninetieth year—a life marked by an unwavering commitment to peace, compassion, and harmony. Anointed as Dalai Lama at the age of two, his moral authority and spiritual leadership have endured even in exile. Yet, while India has been his gracious host for over six decades, it has fallen short in supporting the cause he represents: the freedom and dignity of Tibet.

When Chinese forces invaded Tibet in 1950, brutally subjugating its people and culture, the global response was limited to verbal sympathy. India, under Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, offered asylum to the Dalai Lama in 1959 but chose not to protest China’s aggression. At the time, former President Dr. Rajendra Prasad voiced concern over Nehru’s silence, but his was a lone, ignored voice.

Subsequent Indian governments have continued this pattern of cautious disengagement. In a particularly disappointing move, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2003 formally recognised Tibet as part of China, essentially abandoning any moral or diplomatic leverage India might have held on the issue.

Even today, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India’s approach to Tibet remains passive. This was made evident in 2015, when Modi addressed a major international Buddhist conference in Bodh Gaya, yet His Holiness—arguably the world’s most respected Buddhist figure—was not invited. Despite residing only a few hundred kilometres away, the Dalai Lama learned of the event through the media. None of the international delegates questioned this glaring omission.

The message was clear: India did not want to upset China.

This diplomatic caution extends beyond India. Sri Lanka, which often describes itself as a proud Buddhist nation, has never invited the Dalai Lama either—another indication of how deference to Beijing routinely overrides spiritual or moral solidarity.

Meanwhile, the Dalai Lama continues to live in exile, not as a bitter or combative leader, but as a man who has consistently refused to respond to aggression with hatred. He harbours no ill will, not even towards China. His belief in non-violence, cross-cultural harmony, and interfaith dialogue remains intact and inspiring.

In a world riddled with conflict and authoritarianism, His Holiness stands as a beacon of moral clarity. But this moral clarity must not be left to stand alone. It is time for India, which prides itself on being a spiritual and democratic civilisation, to step forward more boldly. Offering refuge is not enough. India must recognise the deeper symbolism and responsibility it holds in the Tibetan struggle.

As the Dalai Lama enters his tenth decade, the least India can do is honour not only the man but also the cause he represents—openly, unequivocally, and with the dignity it deserves.

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*Trustee, Nandini Voice for the Deprived, Chennai

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