• China claims the Dalai Lama's succession is an internal affair, heightening tensions with India.
• Indian officials assert only the Dalai Lama and his office have the authority over his succession.
• Yu Jing from the Chinese embassy describes the issue as a "thorn" in China-India relations.
• India prepares for high-level diplomatic talks amidst ongoing border tensions from 2020.
• The Dalai Lama's presence in India is viewed as leverage for New Delhi in its relations with Beijing.

Diplomatic tensions between China and India are intensifying over the Dalai Lama's succession, with China's embassy in New Delhi asserting that the issue is a "thorn" in their bilateral relations. This statement comes ahead of India's Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar's planned visit to China, which will be the first since the deadly border clashes in 2020 that resulted in at least 24 casualties. In recent remarks, Yu Jing, a Chinese embassy spokesperson, emphasized that the succession process must adhere to Chinese regulations, highlighting the ongoing friction between the two nations over Tibet-related issues, according to SCMP, Reuters, Channel News Asia, Dawn, and Al Jazeera.

The backdrop of these tensions includes the recent 90th birthday celebrations of the Dalai Lama, attended by high-ranking Indian officials, which resulted in further criticism from China. Kiren Rijiju, India's Parliamentary and Minority Affairs Minister and a practicing Buddhist, declared that only the Dalai Lama and his institution possess the authority to determine his reincarnation. This statement contradicts Beijing's insistence that the Chinese government must approve any succession, establishing a sharp divide in their views on the issue, according to SCMP, Reuters, Channel News Asia, Dawn, and Al Jazeera.

As the Dalai Lama has been living in exile in India since 1959 after fleeing a failed uprising against Chinese rule in Tibet, his ongoing presence in India symbolizes a significant leverage point for New Delhi in its strategic dealings with China. This has long been articulated by analysts who argue that the Dalai Lama's status aids India in counterbalancing Chinese influence, particularly given the estimated 70,000 Tibetans residing in the country, along with the presence of the Tibetan government-in-exile. These relations have both cultural and strategic implications for Indo-China diplomacy, according to SCMP, Reuters, Channel News Asia, Dawn, and Al Jazeera.

The upcoming high-level meetings include discussions within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization scheduled for July 15, which could have significant implications for both countries. As relations between the two nations remain delicately balanced, missteps surrounding the Dalai Lama’s succession may further exacerbate tensions, with analysts suggesting that the geopolitical stakes could lead to additional friction if improperly navigated, according to SCMP, Reuters, Channel News Asia, Dawn, and Al Jazeera.