The Chinese embassy in New Delhi has reignited tensions over the Dalai Lama's succession, calling it a “thorn” in China-India relations just ahead of Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s planned visit to China. The remarks underscore how deeply the issue of Tibet—and specifically the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation—continues to complicate bilateral diplomacy, especially following the deadly 2020 border clashes in Ladakh.
The core of the dispute lies in the differing stances on who holds authority over the spiritual leader’s succession. While the Dalai Lama, revered by Tibetan Buddhists worldwide, insists that neither China nor any political entity has a say in the reincarnation process, Beijing maintains that any successor must be approved by the Chinese Communist Party under its official policies on religion and national sovereignty. This clash of beliefs has long been symbolic of the larger ideological and territorial friction between the two countries.
China's embassy spokesperson Yu Jing criticized recent Indian commentary that supported the Dalai Lama’s autonomy in succession decisions, calling them “improper remarks” and emphasizing that matters related to Tibet (which China refers to as "Xizang") are strictly internal. Yu went as far as to suggest that India's support for the Dalai Lama would ultimately be self-defeating, warning that playing the "Xizang card" would amount to “shooting oneself in the foot.”
The comments came shortly after Indian Minister Kiren Rijiju, a Buddhist himself and a prominent voice from Arunachal Pradesh—another contentious point in Sino-Indian relations—attended the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday celebrations and affirmed the Dalai Lama’s sole right to determine his successor.
New Delhi, trying to strike a diplomatic balance, reiterated its longstanding policy of not interfering in religious matters. The Ministry of External Affairs stated that it does not comment on the beliefs or faith-based practices of any community.
Jaishankar's upcoming visit to Tianjin for a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) security summit will be watched closely, as it marks one of the highest-level bilateral engagements between India and China since the Galwan Valley clashes. The visit follows Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s meeting with his Chinese counterpart during an earlier SCO defence summit—signaling attempts at cautious re-engagement.
However, with China firmly opposing any Indian support for the Dalai Lama or the Tibetan government-in-exile, and India quietly leveraging the Tibetan issue as a strategic counterweight, the spiritual question of the Dalai Lama’s future may continue to be an enduring flashpoint in already strained China-India ties.
