The Dalai Lama

Context: As the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, approaches his 90th birthday on July 6, 2025, the future of the Dalai Lama institution is at a critical juncture.

About 14th Dalai Lama

• Identified as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama in 1939; enthroned in 1940
• Fled Tibet in 1959 after Chinese suppression of the Tibetan uprising; settled in Dharamshala, India
• Formally relinquished political authority in 2011, transferring power to a democratically elected Tibetan leadership in exile.

About Institution of the Dalai Lama

• The institution of the Dalai Lama is part of the tulku concept in Tibetan Buddhism, in which spiritual masters are reincarnated upon their death, so that their teachings can be preserved and carried forward
• Dalai Lamas are considered manifestations of Avalokiteshvara (Chenrezig), the Bodhisattva of Compassion.
• In Mahayana Buddhism, Bodhisattvas are enlightened beings who postpone nirvana to assist all sentient beings.
• The title “Dalai Lama” (Dalai = ocean) was first given in 1578 to Sonam Gyatso (3rd Dalai Lama) by Altan Khan of Mongolia.
  • The first two predecessors were later given the title posthumously.
  • The first Dalai Lama, Gedun Drupa, was born in 1391.
• The Dalai Lama belongs to the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism, the leading tradition since 1640.
• From the 5th Dalai Lama, the position combined religious authority with secular governance of Tibet.
• Reincarnation was institutionalized by the 5th Dalai Lama to maintain continuity of leadership.
• The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, was recognized at age 2 and fled to India in 1959, living in exile in Dharamsala.

Dalai Lama and China

• China labels the 14th Dalai Lama as a “splittist” and “traitor,” denying his authority to represent the Tibetan people and prohibiting public displays of support for him within its borders.
• In 2011, the Dalai Lama stated that his reincarnation should be identified in a free country, not under Chinese control.
• China has institutionalised its own selection process
  • In 2007, it issued a decree requiring state approval for identifying reincarnations of Tibetan lamas.

INS Tamal

Context: INS Tamal, the last foreign-built warship of the Indian Navy, was recently  commissioned at Yantar Shipyard, Kaliningrad, Russia.

About INS Tamal

• INS Tamal (F71) is a multi-role stealth guided missile frigate and the eighth ship in the Project 1135.6 (Talwar-class) series, also the second of the follow-on Tushil-class frigates.

Key Features of INS Tamal

• Multi-Dimensional Warfare Capability: Tamal is designed for blue-water operations and can engage threats across air, surface, sub-surface, and electronic warfare domains.
• Advanced Weapon Systems:The ship is armed with BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missiles, Vertically Launched Surface-to-Air Missiles , Close-In Weapon Systems (CIWS), Anti-Submarine Rocket Launchers, and Heavyweight Torpedoes.
• Indigenous Systems Integration: About 26% of the ship’s systems are indigenously developed, including the BrahMos missiles and HUMSA-NG sonar system, showcasing India’s growing technological capabilities.
• Modern Defence Mechanisms: The ship is equipped with advanced Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical (NBC) defence systems, centralised damage control, and automated firefighting systems for enhanced survivability.

Significance of INS Tamal

• Strengthening the Western Fleet: The ship joins the Navy’s Western Fleet, enhancing maritime strength and operational readiness in the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean Region.
• Indo-Russian Defence Cooperation: INS Tamal symbolizes 65 years of Indo-Russian naval collaboration, being the 51st ship built under this partnership, strengthening defence ties.

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