China Warns India Over Dalai Lama’s Succession Remarks
In a fresh diplomatic flashpoint, China has issued a sharp warning to India, urging it to refrain from interfering in Tibet-related matters following India’s public endorsement of the Dalai Lama’s right to name his successor. The exchange marks a rare direct confrontation over the deeply sensitive issue of Tibetan succession, with potential implications for already strained India-China ties.
India Supports Dalai Lama’s Right to Choose His Successor
India broke its long-held diplomatic silence when Union Minister Kiren Rijiju stated, “No one has the right to interfere or decide who the successor of His Holiness the Dalai Lama will be. Only he or his institution has the authority.” The comment, which underscores New Delhi’s backing of the Tibetan spiritual leader’s autonomy, comes amid growing global focus on what will follow after the Dalai Lama’s passing. China, meanwhile, insists it alone can determine the next reincarnation, as it did controversially with the Panchen Lama.
China Labels It “Interference in Internal Affairs”
In response, China’s Foreign Ministry labeled India’s comments as “gross interference” in China’s internal affairs, stating that India must recognize Tibet as part of China and avoid undermining its sovereignty. Beijing reiterated that the appointment of the Dalai Lama’s successor is an internal matter governed by religious and historical practices under Chinese law. The Chinese warning also hinted that India’s actions could negatively impact diplomatic relations.
Broader Geopolitical Context: Tibet as a Flashpoint
This dispute is not just spiritual—it is political. Beijing views the Dalai Lama’s global influence and Indian asylum as a challenge to its territorial claims and internal authority. Conversely, India’s shift from tacit neutrality to vocal support for Tibetan autonomy could reflect a recalibration of its strategic posture vis-à-vis China, especially in the wake of border tensions in eastern Ladakh and the Indo-Pacific power contest.
