Only Dalai Lama and conventions established by him can decide successor: Rijiju
The Government of India has made its position unequivocal on the question of the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, asserting that only the current Dalai Lama and the conventions established by him can determine his successor.
Union Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju, himself a practising Buddhist, made the remarks on Wednesday (July 2, 2025), which are being interpreted as a pointed rebuttal of China’s claims on the matter.
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“The Dalai Lama is the most important and defining institution for Buddhists,” Mr. Rijiju said, adding, “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.”
His remarks come a day after the 14th Dalai Lama issued a statement reiterating that the institution of the Dalai Lama would continue, and that only the Gaden Phodrang Trust would have the authority to recognise his future reincarnation. The announcement was made ahead of the Tibetan spiritual leader’s 90th birthday on July 6, amid rising concerns that China may unilaterally appoint a successor due to its political control over Tibet.
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In response, the Chinese Foreign Ministry reacted sharply, with spokesperson Mao Ning asserting that the reincarnation “must be chosen by drawing lots from a golden urn, and approved by the central government (of China).” She further claimed that while China upholds a policy of religious freedom, it also “implements regulations on religious affairs and methods for managing the reincarnation of Tibetan living Buddhas.”
Mr. Rijiju’s statement is seen as a firm dismissal of the Chinese government’s position. He is expected to attend the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday celebrations, alongside Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh “Lallan”, a Member of Parliament from Bihar — a State considered central to Buddhist heritage and home to Nalanda, a key institution in the Buddhist tradition followed by the Dalai Lama.
India asserts Dalai Lama's reincarnation decision belongs solely to him, rejecting Chinese interference, as stated by Kiren Rijiju. | Source: The Hindu
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