Context:

The Himalayas, long a cultural and religious frontier of Buddhism, are becoming strategically contested terrain in India–China rivalry. Control over monasteries, lamas, and reincarnation processes translates into influence over border communities and national allegiances. The spiritual turmoil over succession augments the geopolitical contest over sovereignty and regional soft power.

UPSC EXAM NOTES ANALYSIS

1.India’s Buddhist Diplomacy

• As the birthplace of Buddhism, India emphasizes spiritual and heritage-based outreach: developing pilgrimage circuits (Bodh Gaya, Lumbini), reviving Nalanda University, and holding international Buddhist conclaves
• India's Buddhist diplomacy has emerged as a significant component of its soft power strategy, particularly in strengthening ties with Asian nations and the ASEAN region. This approach leverages India's historical connection to Buddhism as the birthplace of the religion to enhance cultural and spiritual bonds with Buddhist-majority countries.
• India's Buddhist diplomacy operates through several interconnected approaches. From the time of Jawaharlal Nehru's Panchsheel principles, India has been guided by the ideals of peaceful co-existence The rising role of Buddhism in India’s soft power strategy, and Buddhism naturally aligns with this non-coercive approach to foreign policy.
• The government has intensified its Buddhist diplomacy efforts through concrete cultural exchanges. The first, held in Thailand from February 22 to March 19, 2024, showcased relics of Buddha and his disciples across four venues, drawing over 4 million devotees
• On January 17, 2024, India hosted the 12th General Assembly of the Asian Buddhist Conference for Peace (ABCP) in New Delhi Asian Buddhist Summit 2024, while later in the year, the summit, themed 'Role of Buddha Dhamma in Strengthening Asia' saw participation from 32 countries with over 160 international participants
• The importance of this diplomatic tool has gained official recognition, with Pali was declared a "classical language of India" in October 2024, further cementing India's commitment to Buddhist heritage preservation.
• India's Buddhist diplomacy has policy gains. It strengthened our position in ASEAN region India’s Buddhist diplomacy has policy gains. It strengthened our position in ASEAN region, though challenges remain as more countries such as Pakistan are also engaging in Buddhism-led cross-cultural communication India’s Buddhist diplomacy has policy gains. It strengthened our position in ASEAN region.
• The approach also faces competition from China, which is of the opinion that Buddhism might help spread its huge trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative agenda Buddhist values are the binding force for Asian nations: First Asian Buddhist Summit 2024 | Current Affairs | Vision IAS.
• This diplomatic strategy represents India's broader effort to project itself as a responsible rising power that can offer spiritual and philosophical wisdom alongside economic partnerships, particularly relevant as India seeks to deepen its "Act East" policy with Southeast Asian nations.

2. China's Use of Buddhism as Statecraft

• China's use of Buddhism as statecraft represents a complex and somewhat contradictory approach to leveraging religious soft power for geopolitical objectives. The Chinese Communist Party has strategically deployed Buddhist symbols and institutions to advance its diplomatic goals, despite its historical suppression of Buddhist practices.
• China's most prominent Buddhist diplomatic tool is the World Buddhist Forum, which serves as a platform for projecting soft power globally. The goal of the conference, according to the state-run China Daily, is to "promote world peace, improve the well-being of all individuals, and gather wisdom and strength for building a community with a shared future for humanity." Gyaltsen Norbu, the Chinese government-appointed 11th Panchen Lama plays a key role in these efforts, representing Beijing's attempt to control Buddhist religious authority
• China's Buddhist statecraft faces a fundamental credibility challenge due to its policies in Tibet. At the peak of its onslaught on religion during the Cultural Revolution, China effectively dismantled the foundation of Buddhism in China, including destroying 98% of monasteries and nunneries in Tibet and forcibly disrobing 99% of the Tibetan Buddhist monks and nuns. This historical record creates skepticism about China's authentic commitment to Buddhist values.
• The ongoing "Sinicization" campaign further undermines China's Buddhist diplomacy. This has been accompanied by efforts to promote the Chinese (Putonghua) language to the exclusion of Tibetan, while recent developments show that the TAR UFWD has formed teams of CCP cadres in 2024, to go to villages and stay and interact with villagers
• Buddhism is being emphasised strongly in both Chinese and Indian public diplomacy, as they both seek to increase their soft-power attractiveness in Asia. However, under the current leadership in Beijing, China employs Buddhism as a vital asset to resolve both the domestic crisis at home and add soft power to its diplomatic relations.
• The fundamental challenge for China's Buddhist statecraft lies in its approach to Tibet and Buddhist authenticity. In the struggle for Buddhist soft power, it will be difficult for the CCP-controlled China to win the hearts and minds of Buddhist believers in other parts of Asia, particularly when contrasted with India's more organic relationship with Buddhist heritage
• China's Buddhist diplomacy operates within the constraints of the Communist Party's control over religious institutions, making it difficult to project genuine spiritual leadership. The absence of the Dalai Lama and the mysterious disappearance of the Panchen Lama chosen by the Dalai Lama creates ongoing legitimacy questions about China's Buddhist representatives on the international stage.
• This approach represents China's broader strategy of using cultural and religious elements as instruments of state power, though the effectiveness remains limited by the contradictions between authoritarian control and spiritual authenticity that Buddhism traditionally represents

3. Reccomendations

• India should adopt a strategic Buddhist diplomacy framework, institutionalizing cultural engagement and deepening ties with Himalayan Buddhist communities.

• Strengthening infrastructure and pilgrimage access in the Buddhist circuit can enhance India's soft power outreach.

• India must advocate for global recognition of the Dalai Lama succession process being free from political manipulation, preserving religious independence.

• Through multilateral Buddhist platforms and collaborations with countries like Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Mongolia, India can counterbalance China’s state-sponsored religious diplomacy