Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju & Rajiv Ranjan Singh to attend Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday in Dharamshala, signaling India’s cultural diplomacy with Tibet. Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju and Rajiv Ranjan Singh attend Dalai Lama's 90th in Dharamshala, signaling India's cultural stand amidst rising tensions with China.
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00:30You're watching Democratic News TV and I'm your anchor Shibnath.
00:35In a gesture underscoring India's deep cultural and spiritual ties with Tibet,
00:40the Indian government is sending senior ministers to attend the 90th birthday celebrations of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
00:48Join us as we explore this significant development, the political and spiritual dimensions behind it
00:55and what it means for India, Tibet and the world at large.
00:58In a significant diplomatic and spiritual gesture, the senior union ministers from the government of India,
01:06Kiran Rijiju and Rajiv Ranjan Singh, are set to attend the 90th birthday celebrations of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama in Dharmashala on 6 July 2025.
02:17The move comes as a powerful symbol of India's enduring relationship with the Tibetan spiritual
02:28leader whose presence in exile in India has long been a sensitive geopolitical issue.
02:35Kiran Rijiju, a union minister and a practicing Buddhist from Arunachal Pradesh, shares both
02:41cultural and religious ties with the Tibetan community.
02:45His attendance carries a particularly strong symbolic message given China's repeated
02:50objections to any official engagement between Indian leaders and the Dalai Lama.
02:56Rijiju, who hails from a region China frequently claims as part of its territory, has been vocal
03:03about the cultural and civilizational links between India and the Tibetan people.
03:09Joining him is Rajiv Ranjan Singh, also known as Leland Singh, another cabinet minister and
03:15a key political figure within the ruling National Democratic Alliance .
03:21The presence of the union ministers at the celebrations is seen as a marked upgrade in India's official
03:26participation in Tibetan events and is being interpreted in policy circles as a signal of
03:32India asserting its autonomy in foreign policy, particularly in relation to China.
03:38The core process of recognizing the reincarnation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama is as per the
03:45unique Tibetan Buddhist tradition.
03:47Hence, we not only strongly condemn the People's Republic of China's usage of reincarnation subject
03:55for their political gain and we shall never accept it.
03:59A spiritual event with strategic significance.
04:02The Dalai Lama's birthday celebrations are expected to draw thousands of devotees, monks, dignitaries
04:09and well-wishers from across the globe.
04:12Gharmashala, the seat of the Tibetan government in exile and home to the Dalai Lama since 1960,
04:19will be the focal point of the celebrations.
04:42The event is not only a tribute to the life and teachings of the Tibetan spiritual leader
04:54but also a reaffirmation of the global Tibetan diaspora's resilience and cultural identity.
05:01For India, the timing and high-level representation at the event are noteworthy.
05:08Relations between India and China have remained tense since the 2020 border standoff in eastern
05:13Ladakh.
05:14Although diplomatic channels remain open, military deployments on both sides of the line of actual
05:21control have increased.
05:24Against this backdrop, India's decision to send cabinet-level ministers to the Dalai Lama's
05:3090th birthday is being seen by analysts as a subtle diplomatic message to Beijing.
05:37India has traditionally walked a tightrope in its dealings with the Dalai Lama, providing
05:42refuge to him and the Tibetan community since 1959 while also recognizing Tibet as part of
05:49China in official policy.
06:07Turkey will be given in order to express itself as a high-level financial initiative as a
06:10country as a country as a country as a country for the people of Israel and the Turkish
06:11현 who is on the other side of the world,ınday.
06:11Well, anyways, the first step of the topic of China will be a national power, the first step of the
06:14generation of the country as a country as a country as a country as a country as a country as a country as a country as a country as a country as a country.
06:15The story of theς is from the Internet.
06:17It is an incredible, local government, and in many countries as a country as theografia, the country as the well-design as a country as a country as a country.
06:20The other countries are noteworthy, but the great country has been brought to the people of China, and the current development of the past,
06:20However, the evolving geopolitical scenario appears to be prompting a recalibration of
06:41this balancing act.
06:43A legacy of peace and compassion that Dalai Lama, a Nobel Peace Laureate, has spent more
06:49than six decades in exile promoting values of non-violence, interfaith dialogue and universal
06:55responsibility.
06:57He has gained global recognition not just as a religious leader, but as a moral force
07:02advocating for human rights and environmental sustainability.
07:19Despite his advanced age, the Dalai Lama remains a pivotal figure in the global discourse on
07:38peace and ethical leadership.
07:41The celebrations in Dharmashala are also being viewed as a moment of reflection both on his
07:46legacy and the uncertain future of the Tibetan movement.
07:51The question of succession, Beijing's hardening stance on Tibet, and the future leadership
07:56of the Tibetan exile community all hover in the background of the festivities.
08:02India's approach, cultural diplomacy with a message while India has not officially altered
08:07its One China stance, recent developments suggest a more assertive posture when it comes to its
08:14engagement with Tibet-related matters.
08:17Indian leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have on occasion acknowledged the Dalai
08:23Lama's birthday or sent greetings, but the dispatching of cabinet-level ministers is a much more direct
08:29form of engagement.
08:32Experts say that this move could be part of a broader strategy to employ cultural diplomacy
08:37as a counterweight to China's aggressive posture in South Asia.
08:43By highlighting civilizational and spiritual connections with the Tibetan people, India is reinforcing
08:48its soft power while also signalling support for Tibetan autonomy, albeit indirectly.
08:55Kiran Rijaju's involvement is particularly strategic.
08:59A native of Arunachal Pradesh, a region China consistently refers to as South Tibet, Rijaju's
09:06presence sends a pointed reminder of India's sovereignty and its right to engage with its
09:11own leaders and communities without external interference.
09:16Reactions and Global Observations
09:18The Tibetan government in exile, based in Dharmashala, has welcomed the participation of Indian ministers
09:25as a strong expression of friendship and solidarity.
09:30Tibetan leaders have long emphasized the spiritual and cultural bonds shared with India, which they
09:35refer to as the Guru to Tibet's Chela or spiritual teacher to disciple.
09:42Beijing, predictably, has voiced objections.
09:46Chinese officials have repeatedly accused India of interfering in its internal affairs whenever
09:52Indian leaders interact with the Dalai Lama or the Tibetan exile community.
09:57The re-incarnation of Dalai Lama must follow the procedure that consists of research and
10:02identification of China, lost joy from the golden urn central government's approval and
10:06comply with religious rituals and historical conventions as well as Chinese laws and regulations.
10:11However, India maintains that its engagement is purely cultural and spiritual, not political.
10:18Internationally, the Dalai Lama's 90th birthday is also being marked by events in the United
10:24States, Europe and parts of Asia.
10:28His global stature ensures that any official participation in his celebrations carries diplomatic
10:34weight.
10:36India's visible presence may encourage other nations to similarly acknowledge the Tibetan leader,
10:41further challenging China's attempts to isolate him diplomatically.
10:46Looking forward, a delicate balance as the Dalai Lama ages, the question of succession looms
10:52large.
10:54China has indicated that it will assert control over the selection of the next Dalai Lama,
10:59a position that Tibetans in exile and many Buddhists worldwide strongly oppose.
11:05The current Dalai Lama has stated that the institution may not continue or that his reincarnation may
11:12occur outside Chinese territory, perhaps even in India.
11:17In this context, India's support for the Tibetan spiritual leader takes on added importance.
11:23By standing visibly with the Dalai Lama at this momentous milestone, India is positioning itself
11:29not only as a friend to the Tibetan cause but also as a defender of religious freedom and
11:35cultural identity.
11:37That brings us to the end of our special coverage.
11:41As India sends a clear cultural and diplomatic signal by honoring the Dalai Lama at 90, the world
11:47watches closely.
11:50This isn't just about celebrations, it's a statement about values, alliances and identity
11:56in an evolving global order.
11:59Stay with Democratic News TV for more updates.
12:03I'm Sheebnath and until next time, stay informed and stay thoughtful.
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