His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama is the most important religious and secular figure for the Tibetan people and is central to the future of Tibet and Tibetan Buddhism. The institution of the Dalai Lama commands legitimacy and spiritual authority across the Tibetan Buddhist world, encompassing the Indian and Nepalese Himalayas, Central Asia, and Mongolia.

Beijing’s effort to control the process of selecting the reincarnation of Tibetan Buddhist leaders, including the next Dalai Lama, presents serious structural obstacles to the protection and fulfilment of Tibetans’ rights to freedom of religion and belief.

Freedom of religion is a fundamental human right enshrined under Article 18 of the UN Declaration of Human Rights, of which India is a signatory. The findings by multiple UN human rights bodies have expressed serious concerns about China’s infringement on the religious and cultural rights of Tibetans, highlighting the urgent need for China to reverse this process, cease its interference, and outline ways forward to implement their recommendations at the international and national levels.

In March 2025 the 14th Dalai Lama stated, “Since the purpose of a reincarnation is to carry on the work of the predecessor, the new Dalai Lama will be born in the free world so that the traditional mission of the Dalai Lama – that is, to be the voice for universal compassion, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, and the symbol of Tibet embodying the aspirations of the Tibetan people – will continue.”

We, the undersigned, join together to support and protect the human rights and the distinct religious, cultural, linguistic, and national identity of the Tibetan people, including the sole right of the institution of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan people to choose their religious leaders following established religious practices and systems.

As Indians, we come together to send a resounding message to China: we stand with our Tibetan brothers and sisters in support of their right to religious and cultural freedoms.

List of Signed MPs: