India Backs Dalai Lama in Succession Dispute

The Dalai Lama has reaffirmed that the selection of his successor will be determined solely by the Gaden Phodrang Trust he established, rejecting China's claims of authority and confirming the continuation of the spiritual institution. India's government has publicly supported the Dalai Lama's stance, with Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and other officials stating that only the Dalai Lama and Tibetan institutions can decide his successor. China maintains that its government must approve the next Dalai Lama, referencing its laws and the 'golden urn' tradition. The dispute has raised geopolitical stakes, as India hosts the Dalai Lama while managing its relationship with China. The U.S. has called on China to respect religious freedom and not interfere in the succession. The announcement, made around the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday, ends uncertainty over the institution’s future and sets the stage for a confrontation between Tibetan tradition and Chinese state authority.