New Delhi — During the monsoon session of Indian Parliament, Sikkim MP Dorjee Tshering Lepcha urged the Central Government to call the India-Tibet border, not the India-China border, as a 1400 km long border running from Leh Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh and crossing Sikkim shares the border with Tibet, not China and he also called on the government to instruct all agencies, including the Army, GREF, BRO and other central government agencies, to use this name.
When Tibet was an independent country, there were no border tensions and issues between India and Tibet. But since China's illegal occupation of Tibet in 1959, India has faced many border issues and even war in 1962, and in recent years the Chinese government's increased army presence on the Tibetan borders with India has often led to incidents such as in Doklam and Galwan areas.
Rajya Sabha member from Sikkim, Dorjee Tshering Lepcha (DT Lepcha) has urged the central government to call the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with Tibet and not China based on historical facts, while speaking in the monsoon session of the Indian Parliament on July 31, 2024.
MP Dorjee Tshering Lepcha has raised 3 important points in the Parliament; he urged the central government to allow return of His Holiness the 17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje to Sikkim, India and also urge the government to reopen the Mansarovar Kailash route from Sikkim immediately making it available for those performing this sacred pilgrimage.
Additionally, he said, “We often call the long land border, which is more than 1400 KM right from Leh Ladakh till Arunachal Pradesh crossing Sikkim as China border. But the truth of the matter is that, this is the Tibet border. India shares a border with Tibet and not China. I requested the government to instruct all agencies, including the Army, GREF, BRO and other central government agencies to officially call this border as Tibet Border and not China border.”
Tibet Post International (TPI) asked Sonam Tsering, General Secretary of Tibetan Youth Congress, for his opinion on Sikkim MP Dorjee Tshering Lepcha's recent request to the Indian government to change the "India-China border" to the India-Tibet border based on historical facts and how it is important to name India-Tibet border? He said, "Honorable Sikkim MP Dorjee Tshering has underscored and endorsed the historically established border between India and Tibet. This declaration is particularly significant, as it represents a voice from the border region's representatives who have been directly impacted by the Chinese Communist Party's expansionist policies."
"Consequently, it is imperative for India to assertively express its recognition of Tibet's historical independent status, with which it has shared a border for centuries. This timely statement serves as a reminder of the importance of acknowledging and respecting the sovereignty of Tibet, a nation with which India has maintained a longstanding relationship. We look forward to seeing more Indian representatives work towards and support the historical independent status of Tibet, setting a commendable example for the rest of the world to follow," the Secretary Sonam added.
The same question asked to Tenzin Pasang, National Director of Students for a Free Tibet, she told TPI, "The Indo Tibet border conflict between India and China, particularly over regions like Arunachal Pradesh, is deeply rooted in historical and geopolitical contexts."
Pasang said, "The McMahon Line, established in 1914 during the Simla Convention between British India and Tibet, demarcates the boundary between India and Tibet, which China has no business in it. But Tibet's annexation by China in 1950 brought Chinese troops to the Himalayas, creating border issues that did not exist prior to the occupation. China's recent renaming of places in Arunachal Pradesh, a region it calls "South Tibet," is a strategic move to assert its claim, which India firmly rejects. We strongly agree with Sikkim MP Dorjee Tsering Lepcha, suggesting the Indian Government to rephrasing back the border as the India-Tibet border rather than the India-China border to emphasize the historical and legal context. This reframing underscores that current disputes result from China's occupation of Tibet, aligning with international support for Tibetan autonomy and strengthening India's diplomatic stance. Advocating for Tibet’s independence also highlights its strategic importance as a buffer, crucial for India's security."
Tibetan Writer, Poet and Activist Tenzin Tsundue wrote a petition to Indian government in 2021, it stated, "In 1947, when India became independent, Tibet was also an independent country. The Chinese invasion of Tibet began in 1950. In 1954, India started to recognise Tibet as part of China. This was a colossal geopolitical mistake. When Tibet was independent, it served as a buffer zone between India and China. Now, with China as its neighbour, India is constantly exposed to the onslaughts of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army. Incidents like Doklam and Galwan have become regular events. Repealing One-China policy is in the interest of India's geopolitical security as it negates the very existence of a Sino-Indian border and supports the restoration of the erstwhile Indo-Tibet border, which was always free of tension and conflict because Tibet has always been a friend, ally and well-wisher of India, unlike China."
