Kiren Rijiju called the Dalai Lama the "most important and defining institution" of the Buddhists, and said nobody else can decide his successor.

The Dalai Lama holds a deeply significant position not only for Tibetans but also for millions of his followers around the world. The decision regarding his successor lies solely with the Dalai Lama,

China insisted the Dalai Lama's next reincarnation must follow Beijing laws, but the Tibetan leader's office asserted the Gaden Phodrang Trust alone holds the power to decide the Budhist monk's successor.