India has always taken a (semi) neutral line whenever the need arose to back up one of its neighbors except, of course, Bangladesh. The Foreign relations and affairs have always been taking a shift and turn now and then in India. For India, a growing economy so to say, Economic and Defense affairs decisions weigh upon all other areas, which is why the pipeline project through Iran, a country which had old relationship with India since long, had been stalled. So, India’s semi-neutral line towards Tibet is obvious enough.

What is so contradictory is that India recognizes Dalai Lama as a spiritual leader and is still skeptic about his political activities. All the more, it is trying to ignore the fact that it indirectly supports the Tibetan cause, though politically it is still ambiguous. And China blaming Dalai Lama for the protests is not at all new, for it has been doing so since 1959.

In the wake of coming Olympics and its present relationship with China as regards both economy and border dispute talks, India is handling the issue carefully, and I must say as usual, taking a semi-neutral line. But what is so discouraging to see is monks who indulge in silent protests, being beaten, and it is equally painful to see monks who take recourse to violence.

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Source: WashingtonPost