Overview
- The Dalai Lama arrived in Leh on July 12 aboard an Indian Air Force aircraft and is secured with Z+ protection at Shiwa Tsel Phodrang for his month-long stay.
- His itinerary includes a two-day teaching on 'The Thirty-Seven Practices of a Bodhisattva' on July 24–25 followed by an Avalokiteshvara Empowerment on July 26.
- The Dalai Lama’s office has asserted sole authority to recognize his successor, rejecting any external interference in his reincarnation process.
- China’s embassy in New Delhi labeled the succession issue a “thorn” in bilateral ties and cautioned India against playing the “Xizang card.”
- India’s foreign ministry reaffirmed on July 4 its policy of non-interference in religious matters as External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar prepares for talks in Tianjin.