Dalai Lama attends swearing‑in of Tibetan government‑in‑exile in India
Updated: 28/05/2026 - 13:09 GMT+2 Penpa Tsering, the head of Tibet’s government‑in‑exile, was sworn in for a second term at a ceremony in Dharamshala, India,...
Updated: 28/05/2026 - 13:09 GMT+2
Penpa Tsering, the head of Tibet’s government‑in‑exile, was sworn in for a second term at a ceremony in Dharamshala, India, attended by the Dalai Lama.
The ceremony took place at Namgyal Monastery on 27 May, in the presence of the Dalai Lama, senior monks and members of the Tibetan exile community. Tsering was re-elected after winning 61 percent of votes in the preliminary round of elections held across 27 countries.
The event marked the start of a new mandate for the administration, which represents an estimated 150,000 Tibetans living outside their homeland and remains a key institution for exiles worldwide.
In his address, Tsering renewed support for the Dalai Lama's "Middle Way" approach, which seeks greater autonomy for Tibet through dialogue rather than independence. He also urged Tibetans inside Tibet to preserve their language, religion and cultural identity.
The Central Tibetan Administration, based in India since the Dalai Lama fled Tibet in 1959, continues to advocate for Tibetan rights while rejecting Chinese claims over its legitimacy. The ceremony came as debate over the future succession of the Dalai Lama remains a sensitive issue between Beijing and the Tibetan exile leadership.
