The View From India newsletter: The Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday and succession plans

(This article is part of the View From India newsletter curated by The Hindu’s foreign affairs experts. To get the newsletter in your inbox every Monday, subscribe here.)

The succession plan for the next Dalai Lama, the highest spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, has always been a matter of great curiosity and interest for China, India, and the United States, for obvious strategic reasons, apart from followers of the religion. The current leader, a Nobel peace laureate, who turned 90 on Sunday (July 6, 2025), is not only regarded an influential figure with a wide following world over, and from across religions, but also a much loved, unifying icon.

In a greatly anticipated statement released during a convention of the leaders of many Buddhist traditions converging to celebrate Dalai Lama’s 90th Birthday, the 14th Dalai Lama in Dharamshala asserted that his successor, the highest spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, will be decided by a trust, not the Chinese government, making it clear for the first time that he believes he will be reincarnated. Born as Tenzin Gyatso, the globally respected spiritual leader said that the process by which future Dalai Lama will be recognised would now begin with consultations with leaders, members of the Tibetan Government in Exile, and other stakeholders. Read Suhasini Haidar’s report on the important development.

His statement that the succession would be decided by the Gaden Phodrang Trust, which would be the “sole authority” on the issue, that has sparked a sharp response from Beijing, which believes it must be given the right to “approve” the candidate. In 2007, Beijing passed a law mandating its authority over the issue, although this has not been accepted by the Tibetan community worldwide. India, on the other hand, in its first official statement over the Dalai Lama’s succession plan announcement, has said that the government “does not take any position” on such religious issues.

As New Delhi moves to support the Tibetan spiritual leader living here in exile, and Beijing says it will enforce its approval over a successor, could India and China’s new found road to normalcy turn rough? Watch Suhasini Haidar’s latest episode on Worldview.

While big powers try to intervene, the 14th Dalai Lama’s statement has made clear that officers of the Gaden Phodrang Trust would bear the responsibility to recognise the 15th Dalai Lama — by a process he would leave written instructions about. Read Gaden Phodrang: The Trust of Dalai Lama – Suhasini’s Haidar’s profile of the body that will have the final say on the matter.

Gaza

FILE PHOTO: Palestinians gather to receive aid supplies in Beit Lahia, in the northern Gaza Strip, June 16, 2025. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas/File Photo
| Photo Credit:
Dawoud Abu Alkas

U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday (July 6, 2025) said there was a “good chance” a Gaza hostage release and ceasefire deal could be reached with the Palestinian militant group Hamas this week. What his statement means, after Israel’s brazen violation of the last ceasefire, remains to be seen.

Israeli airstrikes killed at least 38 Palestinians in Gaza, hospital officials said on Sunday (July 6, 2025), as Israel was sending a ceasefire negotiating team to Qatar ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s White House visit for talks toward a deal.

President Trump, who will meet with Mr. Netanyahu on Monday (July 7, 2025), has floated a plan for an initial 60-day ceasefire that would include a partial release of hostages held by Hamas in exchange for an increase in humanitarian supplies allowed into Gaza. The proposed truce calls for talks on ending the 21-month war altogether.