HT Podcast: Who Chooses the Next Dalai Lama? China and India Brace for a Succession That Could Reshape Asia | Hindustan Times Podcast

Today marks the 90th birthday of the 14th Dalai Lama, a spiritual icon, a refugee, and the voice of a nation in exile. For decades, the world has wondered: What happens after him? Now, for the first time, the Dalai Lama has given a definitive answer, his spiritual lineage will continue, and his successor will be born in the “free world.” This is not just a religious statement. It’s a direct challenge to China.Beijing has flatly rejected his claim, insisting that the next Dalai Lama must be approved by the Chinese Communist Party. That sets up a high-stakes clash between monks in exile and a government that doesn’t believe in religion. And between India, the host of the Tibetan exile government, and China. To break this down, we speak to Dr. Jagannath Panda, expert on Indo-Pacific strategy. How might India respond? Could there be two Dalai Lamas? And what’s really at stake in this ancient-modern standoff?#DalaiLama90 #Tibet #IndiaChina #TibetanBuddhism #FreeTibet #DalaiLamaSuccessor #ReincarnationRow #Geopolitics #TibetanExile #ChinaTibet #XiJinping #IndoPacific #SouthAsia #Dharamshala #BorderPolitics #AsianFlashpoint #ReligiousFreedom #VoiceForTheVoiceless #TibetIssue #IndiaChinaTensions #HumanRights #PanchenLama #BeijingPolicy #NewColdWar #TibetUprisingDay #AnanyaDutta