Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Dalai Lama remains the final authority on his reincarnation, pushing back against Beijing’s insistence on state control over the succession process.BY PC Bureau
New Delhi, July 3, 2025 — A day after the 14th Dalai Lama announced that only the Gaden Phodrang Trust would have the authority to identify his reincarnation, India on Thursday firmly endorsed his position, stating that the decision on the next Tibetan spiritual leader lies solely with the current Dalai Lama and must follow established Buddhist traditions.
In a statement that is widely seen as a diplomatic rebuff to China, Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said, “The Dalai Lama is the most important and defining institution for Buddhists. His successor must be chosen strictly according to established conventions and his own wishes—no one else has the right to interfere.”
The Dalai Lama, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and globally revered figure, had earlier declared that the institution would continue, and that the authority to recognise his reincarnation rests exclusively with the Gaden Phodrang Trust. This clarification has reassured many Tibetans and global supporters, amid fears that Beijing may attempt to install a state-approved successor to exert influence over Tibetan Buddhism.
🚨 India throws its weight behind the Dalai Lama
Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju makes it clear, only established Tibetan religious institutions and the Dalai Lama himself will decide on the matter of his reincarnation, not any external power
Backing the Tibetan… pic.twitter.com/1y4NjS0RMa
— Nabila Jamal (@nabilajamal_) July 3, 2025
Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Rijiju—himself a practising Buddhist—reiterated that the spiritual tradition must not be politicised. “Those who follow the Dalai Lama, especially those in the Nalanda tradition, believe that only he and the spiritual lineage can decide on the incarnation.”
Delhi’s Support, Beijing’s Objection
India’s endorsement of the Dalai Lama’s succession process comes amid renewed tensions with Beijing. The Chinese government maintains that any future reincarnation must be approved by the Communist Party and be confirmed through a historical method involving the drawing of lots from a “golden urn” held in Beijing.
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Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning reiterated on Wednesday that the reincarnation “must be approved by the central government,” a stance Tibetans and rights groups view as an attempt to undermine religious freedom.
This is not the first time Beijing has asserted control over Tibetan religious affairs. In 1995, Chinese authorities detained Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the Dalai Lama’s chosen Panchen Lama—one of the most revered figures in Tibetan Buddhism—and replaced him with a state-appointed alternative. The original appointee has not been seen since and is often described as the world’s youngest political prisoner.
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The Dalai Lama and Tibetan exile leaders have long maintained that any reincarnation chosen or endorsed by Beijing would be illegitimate and lack spiritual authenticity.
90th Birthday Observances
Rijiju and Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh are scheduled to represent the Indian government at the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday celebration in Dharamshala on July 6. The occasion marks a significant moment for Tibetans in exile and supporters of Tibetan autonomy, especially amid rising concerns over the future of the spiritual lineage.
The Dalai Lama has previously said that his reincarnation would occur only if there is a continued public demand for the institution. With Wednesday’s announcement, he has made clear that the process will remain rooted in Tibetan Buddhist traditions—not subject to state control.
