India Watching China Sway at Hill Monasteries

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked central agencies to keep a close watch on the activities of China along the border, especially its influence on the monasteries in the Indo-Himalayan belt, according to government officials familiar with the development.

He has further directed agencies to collate census data of all border villages for the past five years using artificial intelligence and analytics to get a better understanding of demographic changes that are taking place, as well as the pattern of migration in the region.

The directives, given by Modi during the director general/inspector general conference of the Intelligence Bureau between December 6 and 8, 2019, were recently sent to all the states and central agencies. HT has reviewed the directives.

A central intelligence official, who asked not to be named, asserted that the PM’s reference to China’s influence in the Himalayan belt was a “pre-emptive exercise” to make sure the border areas and the monasteries in the mountain region were not ignored.

The development comes against the backdrop of China’s assertion that it alone can decide the successor to the 84-year-old Dalai Lama, who has lived in exile in India since 1959. The US and other nations have opposed China’s efforts to decide the spiritual leader’s successor.

While Chinese officials have said the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama must be approved by their government and the selection should take place in their country, the Dalai Lama says Beijing’s pick will not be trusted. He has said that his successor could also come from India.

Source: DAP

Image Courtesy: The Caravan