India Should Respect Tibetans’ Choice in Dalai Lama Succession: Menon

Former Indian National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon said India should continue to engage with the Dalai Lama recognized by the Tibetan people, not Beijing. In an interview with The Wire, Menon emphasized that the reincarnation is a religious and cultural matter, not for state endorsement. He highlighted the Dalai Lama's stated wish that his successor be born outside China and chosen by the Gaden Phodrang Trust. Menon also criticized China’s politicization of the process, noting that only the Tibetan people’s acceptance will give legitimacy to any successor.