New Delhi: India has firmly reiterated that the succession of the Dalai Lama is a matter of religious tradition and should be determined solely by the Tibetan Buddhist community, with no role for the Chinese government. The statement comes amid Beijing’s repeated assertions that it holds the authority to choose the next Dalai Lama, a claim India has categorically rejected.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters: “The government of India has taken a consistent position that the succession, reincarnation, and related issues are matters for the Tibetan Buddhist community to decide. It is not for the Chinese state to interfere.”
The clarification followed recent remarks made by the 14th Dalai Lama, who is currently on a visit to Sikkim. When asked about his succession, the Tibetan spiritual leader suggested that the process of finding his reincarnation would begin after his 90th birthday. At present, he is 89.
China, which refers to the Dalai Lama as a separatist figure, has long insisted that the successor must be approved by Beijing under a controversial law introduced in 2007. The Chinese Communist Party maintains that reincarnations of Tibetan lamas must be authorized by the state, including the use of a “golden urn” process, which critics argue is a clear interference in religious freedom.
India’s strong rebuttal underscores its continued support for the Dalai Lama and the autonomy of Tibetan religious practices. The Dalai Lama has lived in exile in India since 1959, when he fled Tibet following a failed uprising against Chinese rule. India hosts the Tibetan government-in-exile in Dharamsala and remains home to thousands of Tibetan refugees.
Tensions between India and China remain strained amid ongoing border disputes and geopolitical rivalries. However, New Delhi’s statement reflects its commitment to upholding the rights of religious communities and resisting China’s growing efforts to control narratives surrounding the Tibetan issue.
