Goa, July 3 -- IN SHORT

India on Thursday firmly rejected China's claim that it must approve the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, asserting that only the Tibetan spiritual leader has the authority to decide on his successor.

Union Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju, speaking from Dharamshala during events marking the Dalai Lama's 90th birthday, stated, "The position of the Dalai Lama is of utmost importance, not just for Tibetans but for all his followers across the world. The right to decide on his successor rests solely with the Dalai Lama himself."

Rijiju and Janata Dal (United) leader Lallan Singh were in Dharamshala as official representatives of the Indian government, participating in what the minister described as a "pur...