Foreign policy experts said India has stuck to its position even though China has been asserting itself on the issue.
As Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama arrived in Arunachal Pradesh on a week-long visit amid opposition from China, foreign policy experts said India has stuck to its position even though the communist nation has been asserting itself on the issue.
Former national security advisor Brajesh Mishra said India has done what it had been doing on the issue in the past.
"India has done what it has been doing in the past. Chinese are asserting their position. Our stated position is that as long as Dalai Lama does not involve himself in political activity, he is free to visit any part of the country he wants," he said.
Mishra, however, added that the only new thing in the whole issue is that Chinese have strongly started asserting their position on the issue.
Asked whether India has strongly asserted its position on Arunachal Pradesh, he said, "neither have we strongly asserted nor we have made any new position. We have maintained our position."
Former foreign secretary Muchkund Dubey wondered, "What is so unusual about his visit? Why should one get so excited over it?".
Dubey said for India, Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India. He said Dalai Lama was our honoured guest and free to move anywhere in the country. On whether India has asserted itself on the issue of Arunachal Pradesh, Dubey shot back, "do you think it was half hearted earlier? It has been hyped up by the media".
He said, "the Chinese should not have protested the way they did. Their position on the issue is well known. They don't need to assert it in an unpleasant way. It reflects their complex. It looks they are in a weak position on Tibet".
Foreign policy expert KC Singh told CNN-IBN, "I think the message is that firstly India will not be bullied. They (China) can take whatever stand they want but India would take a position based on Indian values, Indian system and therefore the government letting Dalai Lama go there has acted in line with its traditional stand that he is an honoured guest..."
Singh said considering the relationship between India and China, it (China) needs to sit down and think about it, settle this (Tibet) issue by talking to Dalai Lama and this should be in line with the agreements they (China) entered into with Dalai Lama in 1950 - the 17-point agreement.
"It is in our interest and it is in their interest that the issue is settled to the satisfaction of the Tibetans," Singh said.
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