India overhauls teaching in Himalayan Buddhist monasteries to counter China

Lama Chosphel Zotpa, a monk and vice president of Indian Himalayan Council of Nalanda Buddhist Tradition (IHCNBT) reads a document at its office in New Delhi, India, March 13, 2025. - Photo: Reuters

NEW DELHI: India is preparing to roll out its first school curriculum for Buddhist monasteries this month, aiming to unify education programmes and foster patriotism in Himalayan religious centers near its border with China.

Home to many ancient monasteries as the birthplace of Buddhism, India received an influx of Tibetans in the 1950s that led to many new institutions being set up, but now it seeks to insulate religious learning from China’s influence.