In the political documents being prepared for Hu’s visit, India is likely to reaffirm that Tibet and Taiwan are part of China. New Delhi also plans to crackdown on Tibetan protests during Hu’s stay in India.

New Delhi will also reiterate that the Dalai Lama is not involved in any “political” activities on the Indian soil; but Beijing might smirk and point to the Tibetan “government in exile” in Dharamshala.

Given the complex nature of Kashmir and Tibet, New Delhi and Beijing have no option but to finesse their positions. While neither side is expected to get complete satisfaction, both will try and prevent Tibet and Kashmir from becoming obstacles to further improvement in bilateral relations.