Commentary On the 86th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi set a new precedent by making a first-ever public announcement by tweeting: “Spoke on phone to His Holiness the @DalaiLama to convey greetings on his 86th birthday. We wish him a long and healthy life.” In reciprocation, the Tibetan religious leader called himself the “longest guest” of India which he sees as “home.” Indian leaders unofficially conveyed their wishes; however, Modi’s official wish to the highest religious leader of Tibet who is in exile is not just symbolic but of great significance given its political and diplomatic undertone. Tibet lies at the heart of the discord in India-China relations given its political and strategic significance—as exemplified by the fact that, during the 1962 conflict, Chinese leaders, including Mao Zedong, acknowledged that “the conflict was not about the boundary or territory but about Tibet.” China’s …