President Pranab Mukherjee - Dalai Lama meet: India rejects China objection

New Delhi: India on Friday dismissed Chinese objections to a meeting between the Dalai Lama and President Pranab Mukherjee recently, saying the meeting was at a “non-political” event organised by Nobel laureates dedicated to the welfare of children, adding that the Dalai Lama is a “respected and revered spiritual leader”.

“India has a consistent position. His Holiness the Dalai Lama is a respected and revered spiritual leader. It was a non-political event organised by Nobel laureates dedicated to the welfare of children,” ministry of external affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup said. He was asked about China taking strong exception to the Tibetan spiritual leader’s meeting with Mukherjee at the Rashtrapati Bhavan during a children’s summit and asserting that India must respect China’s “core interests” to avoid “any disturbance” to the bilateral ties. “Recently in disregard of China’s solemn representation, India insisted on arranging for the Dalai’s visit.