‘Indo-Tibetan heritage not just spiritual, but strategic’: Gen Sengupta at Army seminar

In a significant step towards reinforcing national security awareness through cultural understanding, the Indian Army’s Central Command hosted a one-day seminar titled ‘Interwoven Roots: Shared Indo- Tibetan Heritage’ here today.

The event brought together scholars, strategists and senior military leaders to examine the deep civilisational ties between India and Tibet and assess their relevance to contemporary border management and regional stability.

Delivering the keynote address, Lt Gen Anindya Sengupta, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C), Central Command, highlighted deep-rooted Indo-Tibetan linkages and stressed the seminar’s role in understanding their significance in today’s geopolitical context.

“This seminar is a platform to explore the profound historical, cultural, spiritual and strategic ties that bind India and Tibet. These are two ancient civilisations with interwoven roots that continue to shape a shared identity,” he said. He emphasised that this not a shared past we are discussing but this is about engaging in meaningful dialogue that would guide our future in the light of evolving geopolitical challenges.

“The Himalayan belt has never been a barrier, as once believed by colonial administrators, but a corridor of civilisation where goods, philosophies and ideas flowed freely along ancient trade routes like the Silk Route,” he opined.

He also underscored the fact that India’s northern borders remain sensitive and require constant vigilance.

“From the 1962 War to the Nathu La clashes, we’ve seen that the terrain demands not just readiness, but surveillance, technological connectivity and a nuanced strategy. Our heritage is not just spiritual, but strategic,” Lt Gen Sengupta remarked.

Noted French scholar and expert on Tibetan issue, Claude Arpi, expressed concern over the decline in the exiled Tibetan refugee population in India with many having moved to the USA, Europe and other countries. “The importance of the Kailash Yatra, the role of trade along the Silk Route and monasteries as centres of diplomacy all speak to our intertwined legacies,” said Claude.