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The Ministry of External Affairs clarified on Friday that the Indian government does not comment on matters concerning faith and religious practices while reacting to the row over the Dalai Lama's succession plan. Reacting to the media queries regarding the recent statement by the Dalai Lama, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that the government of India does not take any position or speak on matters concerning beliefs and practices of faith and religion.

"We have seen reports relating to the statement made by His Holiness the Dalai Lama about the continuation of the Dalai Lama institution. The government of India does not take any position or speak on matters concerning beliefs and practices of faith and religion. The government has always upheld freedom of religion for all in India and will continue to do so," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson said.

"We have seen reports relating to the statement made by His Holiness the Dalai Lama about the continuation of the Dalai Lama institution. Government of India does not take any position or speak on matters concerning beliefs and practices of faith and religion. Government has… pic.twitter.com/Caiw62AboD

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 4, 2025

Devotee Of Dalai Lama: Union Minister Rijiju

Earlier, Union Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju asserted that the choice of the Dalai Lama's successor should rest solely with the spiritual leader himself, reflecting the belief of his followers worldwide amid China's recent statement on the matter.

"I am a devotee of the Dalai Lama. Anybody in the world who follows the Dalai Lama wants his successor to be chosen by the Dalai Lama himself," Rijiju said.

Emphasising that there should be no ambiguity on the matter, he added, "There is no need for us to be in confusion regarding the Dalai Lama issue. All the people who follow Buddhism as their religion and his followers think that the Dalai Lama should choose his successor on his own. There is no need for us or the government of India to speak on this."

Rijiju, refusing to directly address Beijing's remarks, said that he doesn't want to react to China's statement.

"The people who follow the Dalai Lama think that he will choose his successor. I am not saying anything on behalf of the Chinese government or Government of India," Kiren Rijiju said as quoted by news agency ANI.

China rebuked Rijiju's support for the Dalai Lama and said that India needed to tread carefully on Tibet-related issues to avoid a dampening of relations with Beijing. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning explained that the 14th Dalai Lama was an anti-China separatist figure and demanded that India stay clear of any commitments towards the Tibetan spiritual leader, a PTI report said.

Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju and Rajiv Ranjan will be visiting Dharamshala as representatives of the Government of India to attend the Dalai Lama's 90th birthday on July 6.

The Dalai Lama is the spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism. The current Dalai Lama is the 14th in the lineage.