China’s reach is growing, and the world is turning more turbulent, but the Tibetan cause isn’t going anywhere. That’s the Dalai Lama’s message, delivered in an interaction with NDTV.
He was clear about the Gaden Phodrang Trust, tied to his office, picking the next leader. Beijing sees it differently. The administration still holds to its Middle Way Policy, which asks for genuine autonomy for Tibet within China. Now that emphasis on cultural continuity faces mounting pressure from Chinese policy. For the Dalai Lama, the key issue is whether the community’s cultural and religious roots survive.
It says the next Dalai Lama has to be chosen under Chinese rules, with the government’s sign-off. Representatives of the Central Tibetan Administration told NDTV they want Tibetans, Buddhists and foreign governments to start preparing now and to push back against any attempt by Beijing to take over the process. His latest remarks echo something he has said many times: preserving Tibetan identity has to go on, no matter who leads.
Since then, the fight has weighed heavily on the leadership in exile.
For most of the time, the Tibetan cause and the leader have been almost the same thing in the public mind. As he ages, the debate over what comes next has only grown louder
READ | Tibetan Government-in-Exile Tells World: Prepare Now for Dalai Lama’s Succession The succession question got serious in July 2025 when the Dalai Lama said the institution of the Dalai Lama would live on after him.
“The Tibetan issue will remain alive as the culture and religion are deeply rooted,” the Dalai Lama, 91, said when asked what still gives him hope for his people.
