Dharamshala, April 2 — Senior Tibetan leaders and members of India’s strategic community met behind closed doors in Dharamshala for a roundtable titled India-Tibet-China & the Shifting World Order, examining how shifts in the Indo-Pacific are reshaping regional security.
The session, held as part of an orientation programme from March 30 to April 2, was organised by the Tibet Action Institute in partnership with the Asia Strategic Forum and Closed Door Policy Consulting. The programme brought a curated delegation of Indian researchers, policy analysts and young strategists to engage with the Tibetan government-in-exile and affiliated institutions.
Dorjee Tsetan, programme director at the Tibet Action Institute, said the event aimed to deepen ties between Indian scholars and the Tibetan exile leadership, ensuring discussions on India-Tibet-China relations are informed and sustained. Participants included academics, activists and policy researchers and covered a broad agenda spanning geopolitics, ecological threats and security concerns, with an emphasis on elevating Tibet in Delhi’s strategic thinking.
Tibetan scholars briefed attendees on the environmental importance of the Tibetan Plateau and raised alarms about Chinese military construction there, arguing these developments pose long-term risks to India. The group also discussed Beijing’s tightening control over Tibetan religious life, notably on the issue of reincarnation, and the implications for Tibetan spiritual leadership going forward.
Co-organiser Jyotsna Mehra said attendees were carefully selected from leading Indian think tanks and universities. Young analysts working on critical minerals, artificial intelligence, civilizational history, India-China-Tibet dynamics and US foreign policy were included to ensure multidisciplinary, candid exchanges.
Participants underscored Tibet’s rising strategic salience in India-China relations and future security planning. Namrata Hasija warned that Tibet will remain a central point of contention, cautioning that Beijing could exert pressure on New Delhi over developments tied to the Dalai Lama and other sensitive issues. Reference was made to incidents such as the Galwan Valley clash as reminders that China’s posture requires sustained vigilance despite episodic agreements.
Kamal Madishetty highlighted in-depth discussions on environmental degradation in Tibet linked to mining and large dam projects, and the downstream consequences for major Asian rivers. These ecological impacts, he said, have direct implications for India’s water security and broader environmental stability. The roundtable also examined China’s military activities in the plateau and explored questions about Tibetan identity and the future of the movement’s spiritual and political leadership.
Indian participants represented institutions including the Observer Research Foundation, Vivekananda International Foundation, Centre for China Analysis and Strategy, Council for Strategic and Defence Research, O.P. Jindal Global University and Rishihood University. The closed-door format enabled frank, detailed dialogue among Indian scholars, Tibetan policymakers, researchers and activists about the issues shaping Tibet, India-China relations and regional security across the Indo-Pacific.
