Here's What Former Indian Army Chief Has Said About China's Occupation Of Tibet

Former chief of the Indian Army, general M M Naravane (retd), refuted the recent white paper published by China, which asserts that Tibet is a part of China since ancient times, as a deliberate attempt to rewrite history.

The former army chief was speaking at the 6th International Rangzen (Independence) Conference at the India International Centre (IIC) organised in Delhi.

Notable attendees at the conference included Geshe Lharampa Bawa Lobsang Pende, the representative of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile, and Umit Hamit, a prominent Uyghur freedom fighter.

General Naravane highlighting Tibet's struggle for independence said that Tibetans all over the world have a legitimate right to return to the land of their forefathers and experience their culture and traditions.

He pointed out that while there are 60 lakh Tibetans in Tibet, 140,000 are in exile, with 100,000 residing in India.

“This is an exceptional pool of latent power which needs to be harnessed,” the general said.

He stated, "It is indeed a historical fact that Tibet has been and is, the rightful neighbour of India and that the common border was open and peaceful, allowing not only free movement of trade and people, but also the flow of the finest thoughts of human civilisation."

The former army chief critiqued the Panchsheel Agreement, signed by India and China in 1954, especially the mutual non-interference clause, for leading to an ambivalent stance regarding China's occupation of Tibet.

He highlighted that China's territorial and administrative changes in Tibet have jeopardised the identity and culture of the Tibetans.

“Over the decades, China has fully occupied Tibet and made territorial and administrative changes that would transform the identity and culture of the Tibetans,” he said.

He proposed a two-pronged approach for supporting the Tibetan cause: 'vertical integration' and 'horizontal stretch'.

'Vertical integration' would involve raising global awareness through various platforms, including the United Nations, by engaging thought leaders and think tanks.

'Horizontal stretch' aims to unite people globally to maintain the momentum of the movement.

“This approach should focus on creating a collective voice across the borders, ensuring that the Rangzen movement remains dynamic and impactful,” the former army chief said.

Drawing contrasts between China and India, he underlined that China's strength comes with vulnerabilities due to its centricity of coercion and fear, while India operates with centricity of cooperation and trust.

“Even though China has grown in strength, strength comes with its vulnerabilities. China operates with centricity of coercion and fear whereas India with centricity of cooperation and trust,” he said.

General Naravane also warned about the Chinese use of grey-zone warfare tactics stating that “It is also wise to recognise China’s Grey Zone actions which involve kinetic and non-kinetic forms of assertiveness, by resorting to selective historical referencing, cartographic manipulation and lawfare by leveraging its cyber and information domain capabilities.”

Regarding China's construction of 'Xiaokang' villages in disputed territories, the announcement of the Land Border Law, and coercive exploitation, general Naravane stressed the need for a robust response involving diplomatic, legal, and international mechanisms.

He suggested the creation of a new Indo-Pacific architecture involving South Asian countries, Hong Kong, and Taiwan to counter China's hegemony.