India Counters Chinese Influence With New Curriculum In Arunachal Pradesh Monasteries

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India-West News Desk

NEW DELHI – India is set to introduce its first formal curriculum for Buddhist monasteries this month, aiming to streamline religious education and reinforce national consciousness in monastic institutions located near its border with China.

As the birthplace of Buddhism, India is home to centuries-old monasteries. The arrival of Tibetan refugees in the 1950s led to the creation of many more. Now, the Indian government is working to shield these centers from what it sees as growing Chinese influence.

“We’re integrating Indian identity with Buddhist education to ensure that China never gains sway over our monasteries in the Himalayas,” said Maling Gombu, a BJP-affiliated Buddhist leader who is part of a team advancing Indian Buddhist teachings in Arunachal Pradesh told Reuters.

Roughly 600 monasteries across Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh currently follow four major Tibetan and Indian Buddhist traditions. While many offer instruction in modern subjects like English, such secular education—typically provided by monks and nuns—is not officially recognized outside monastic settings.

“Tibetans are welcome to learn about their history and heritage,” a government official told Reuters, “but they also live in India and need a standard education that can help them find jobs outside the monastery.”

A Home Ministry official, speaking anonymously, described to Reuters the move as part of a broader initiative to fortify religious institutions in sensitive border areas against external influence—particularly from China.

So far, 20 monasteries situated along the 1,860-mile border with China have agreed to implement the new syllabus, with wider adoption planned over the coming months.

The initial batch of textbooks—developed by Indian education authorities and Buddhist scholars—covers India’s ancient and modern history, including the country’s involvement in Tibet’s freedom movement. The curriculum also includes mathematics, science, computer skills, and requires instruction in English, Hindi, and Bhoti, the regional language.

To support the rollout, the government will begin funding monasteries—many of which have long depended on foreign aid—by providing resources to hire teachers, pay stipends to monks, and introduce standardized exams.