The Dalai Lama is a centuries-old institution and an inherent pillar of Tibetan identity and religion. The figure of the Dalai Lama is the highest spiritual leader and head of Tibetan Buddhism. In a sense the institution of the Dalai Lama is considered to be an elixir of Tibetan cultural identity. Since the 15th century, Tibetans have believed in the tradition of tulku, or reincarnation. Through this each Dalai Lama is recognised as the rebirth of his predecessor. On 6th July 2025, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, turns 90 years old, thereby drawing global attention over his succession. The appointment of the 15th Dalai Lama is marked with intense struggle for Tibetan identity against Chinese tyranny. China is working to control the succession of the next Dalai Lama, thereby throttling Tibetan identity once and for all.
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THE STAKES FOR TIBET’S FUTURE
The succession of the 15th Dalai Lama is a watershed moment for Tibetan identity and the freedom struggle. For Tibetans, the Dalai Lama is far more than a religious figure — he symbolises their cultural heritage, national identity. He represents hope for a future free from oppression. China, on the contrary, intends to quell the Tibetan spirit by hijacking the selection of the next Dalai Lama. Beijing argues that it holds final authority to approve or appoint the reincarnation through its officially atheist Communist structures. This is ironical, since the Chinese state does not believe in reincarnation at all. In 2007, Beijing passed regulations requiring government permission for any “living Buddha” reincarnation. Through this, China aims to appoint a pro-Beijing “Dalai Lama” to legitimise its control over Tibet. It weaken the authority of the genuine spiritual leader, and undermine Tibetans’ struggle for cultural identity and autonomy.
The incumbent Dalai Lama, being cognisant of China’s nefarious designs, established the Gaden Phodrang Trust in 2011 in Dharamshala. Its objective is to recognis the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama. The term Gaden Phodrang refers to the residential quarters of the Dalai Lama lineage from the second Dalai Lama onwards at Drepung Monastery in Lhasa. The trust is based in the office of the Dalai Lama and is headed by the Dalai Lama himself. According to the incumbent Dalai Lama, this Trust shall have the sole authority to recognise the future reincarnation. This rages the battle between Tibetan tradition and Chinese tyranny. It leads to a future of two rival Dalai Lamas: one selected authentically by Tibetans in exile and another endorsed by the Chinese state. This would fracture Tibetan culture and may trigger even stricter repression in Tibet, as Beijing would suppress allegiance to the genuine reincarnation.
CHINA’S TIBET POGROM
China’s policy vis-à-vis Tibet amounts to a systematic campaign to eradicate Tibetan culture, language, and religion. Since the invasion of Tibet, China has subjected Tibet to what observers delineate as cultural genocide. The aim is to annihilate every symbol of Tibetan identity in the guise of forced cultural assimilation. Thousands of monasteries were destroyed, religious practices curtailed and even the posters of the Dalai Lama were banned. China left no stone unturned to strangle the Tibetan spirit. Human rights organisations report countless accounts of arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings of the local Tibetan population. Under “cultural assimilation” Beijing pushes the Mandarin language, weakens Tibetan language teaching, and resettles Han Chinese to dilute the Tibetan population. Furthermore, thousands of Tibetans are relocated to other parts, thus weakening traditional nomadic lifestyles and breaking community ties.
Today, Tibet has turned into a surveillance state with one of the highest police-to-population ratios in the world. China is pushing the policy of sinicisation (making Tibetan Buddhism conform to Chinese socialist ideology). Thousands of monks and nuns have been forced to attend “patriotic re-education” classes, swearing loyalty to the Communist Party and denouncing the Dalai Lama. Monks must preach “socialist values”, and monasteries are under tight CCP control. Furthermore, Tibetan children are being separated from their families and sent to Chinese-run boarding schools. In these schools, children are forced to learn Mandarin and Chinese communism while their own Tibetan culture is sidelined. This is done to brainwash young Tibetans by poisoning their minds with Chinese communism and depriving them of Tibetan traditions.
THE DALAI LAMA ENTHRONEMENT: INDIA’S APPROACH
India’s approach towards Tibet must remain balanced and pragmatic. On the issue of the succession of the 15th Dalai Lama, India has categorically labelled it as a deeply religious matter. This positions India more as an enabler than as an active participant in the process. Such an approach provides India with a room for manoeuvring while avoiding direct confrontation with China. By emphasising the religious nature of the succession, India can shift the narrative away from allegations of interfering in China’s internal affairs and instead frame it as an issue of religious freedom. Freedom of religion is a fundamental right guaranteed under Article 25 of the Indian Constitution. Accordingly, the Tibetan government-in-exile enjoys complete constitutional freedom to manage its religious affairs without fear of state interference. This framework gives India a legitimate basis to counter any Chinese objections to facilitating the current Dalai Lama’s right to appoint his successor.
CONCLUSION
The succession of the 15th Dalai Lama constitutes a seminal moment for Tibetan identity and global religious freedom. China’s attempts to control this sacred process threaten to deepen the oppression of Tibetans and undermine centuries of deeply held spiritual traditions. India, as the host of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan exile community, holds a unique role in safeguarding the authentic reincarnation process. By balancing respect for Tibetan tradition with strategic caution, India can continue to support the survival of Tibetan culture and resist Beijing’s attempt to erode an ethnic identity through political manipulation of their faith. The international community, too, must play its part and stand vigilant to secure the freedom of the Tibetan people to choose their own spiritual future. India must further collaborate with other like-minded partners, like the Quad, to ensure a free and fair succession process and to counterbalance any Chinese untoward behaviour.
