Tibetan spiritual and temporal leader, the Dalai Lama on Friday said that use of
military force is outdated and India and China must solve the border dispute through talks and peaceful means.

The Dalai Lama, in a brief interaction with reporters on reaching Leh (Ladakh) airport from Jammu, said; “India and China are both competitive nations and neighbours, sooner or later you have to solve this problem through talks and peaceful means. The use of military force is outdated,” the Dalai Lama added.

The Tibetan leader’s comment is considered significant as it has come in Ladakh ahead of the 16th round of Corps Commander level meeting between India and China expected to begin on 17 July in the backdrop of the standoff between the two countries along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the eastern Ladakh and Galwan clashes in June 2020. Dispute is persisting over the transgression by the Chinese Army in multiple areas including the Finger area, Galwan Valley,

Hot springs, and Kongrung Nala. The situation worsened after violent clashes with Chinese troops in Galwan Valley in June 2020.

Amidst tight security set up, the 14th Dalai Lama was given a rousing reception when he reached Leh in the morning. During his month long stay till second week of August in Ladakh, the Dalai Lama will deliver spiritual teachings and sermons to the Buddhists.

Leh wore a festive look with the streets decorated with colourful gates. Men, women and children wearing traditional robes danced on the streets and greeted the Dalai Lama by bowing as his motorcade passed through the city streets.

Hundreds of followers stood on either side of the 10 km road up to his Choglamsar residence named Photak.

This is the first official visit of the Dalai Lama outside his abode in HP’s Dharamshala since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The visit also marks his first visit to the region since the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh becoming a separate union territory (UT).

The Dalai Lama has been a regular visitor to the Buddhist-majority Ladakh region, but in the last four years he chose to give it a miss owing to the Covid-19 situation.

Following his arrival at Jammu from Dharamshala on Thursday, the Dalai Lama had told mediapersons that the majority of people in China realize that he is not seeking independence within China but “meaningful autonomy” and preservation of Tibetan Buddhist culture.