India dismisses China's warning over Dalai Lama's Arunachal visit

Dalai Lama will be visiting the Tawang monastery in Arunachal Pradesh after a gap of 8 years

India on Friday dismissed China's warning over Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama's proposed visit to Arunachal Pradesh next month, saying that New Delhi's position on the matter is well known.

"The government's position is well known and has not changed," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay said in response to a query.

In his daily press briefing in Beijing on Friday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said that the Dalai Lama's proposed visit to Arunachal Pradesh in April would cause serious damage to India-China ties and warned New Delhi not to provide him with a platform "for anti-China activities".

According to reports, the Dalai Lama will be visiting the Tawang monastery in Arunachal Pradesh after a gap of eight years.

Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, who hails from the northeastern state, is also reportedly going to meet him during the visit.

It was in 1959 that, fearing Chinese military takeover in Tibet, the Dalai Lama fled to India through Arunachal Pradesh and has since been running the Tibetan government-in-exile from McLeodganj in Himachal Pradesh.