Thu Jul 03 09:09:00 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the text followed by a news article based on it:
**Summary:**
The Indian government, through Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, has firmly stated that the current Dalai Lama and the conventions he established are the sole authority in determining his next incarnation. This declaration is a direct response to China’s claim that it has the right to approve the next Dalai Lama, potentially selecting a successor compliant with their regime. The statement comes as the Dalai Lama prepares to celebrate his 90th birthday amid ongoing concerns about succession and China’s influence. The Indian government’s support for the Dalai Lama’s autonomy is further emphasized by the presence of two ministers at his birthday celebrations.
**News Article:**
**India Rejects China’s Claim on Dalai Lama Reincarnation**
**New Delhi, July 3, 2025** – The Indian government has publicly refuted China’s assertion of authority over the selection of the next Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists. Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju stated unequivocally that only the current Dalai Lama (the 14th) and the conventions he has established have the right to determine his future incarnation.
Rijiju’s statement, widely interpreted as a diplomatic rebuke to Beijing, comes ahead of the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday on July 6th, a time of heightened concern over succession issues. China has previously insisted that the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama must be chosen through a process involving a “golden urn” and approved by the Chinese government.
“The Dalai Lama is the most important and defining institution for Buddhists,” Rijiju said. “All those who follow the Dalai Lama feel that the Incarnation is to be decided by the established convention and as per the wish of the Dalai Lama himself. Nobody else has the right to decide it except him and the conventions in place.”
Just yesterday, the Dalai Lama himself declared that only the Gaden Phodrang Trust has the authority to recognise his future reincarnation.
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning, responded to the Dalai Lama’s statement by reiterating China’s claim to have the right to impose “regulations on religious affairs” regarding the selection process.
The Indian government’s stance is further underscored by the planned attendance of both Kiren Rijiju and Cabinet Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh at the Dalai Lama’s birthday celebrations. Singh is an MP from Bihar, home to significant Buddhist sites, and where the Buddhist tradition of Nalanda is followed by the Dalai Lama. This move is seen as a clear demonstration of India’s support for the Dalai Lama’s autonomy and its rejection of China’s interference in Tibetan religious affairs. The issue of succession has been a long-standing point of contention between China and the Tibetan community in exile, with concerns that China may attempt to install a puppet Dalai Lama.
First Piper 