“I still hope to live for over 130 years,” the Dalai Lama told followers around the world and those gathered in the northern Indian hill town of Dharamshala, where he has lived since fleeing Tibet in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule.

The Indian government refrained to comment on the matter of the Dalai Lama succession row, stating that the government does not speak on matters of religion.

Government of India does not take any position or speak on matters concerning beliefs and practices of faith and religion. Government has always upheld freedom of religion for all in India and will continue to do so,