Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama has turned 87.
In a rare move, a top local official of India's ruling party participated in birthday celebrations on Wednesday in the northern city of Dharamshala.

The Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh state joined the event online. He praised the Dalai Lama for fighting for the Tibetan cause in a peaceful manner.

Indian leaders have generally taken a cautious approach toward the spiritual leader to avoid upsetting China. But lately, they have been expressing solidarity with him.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Twitter he conveyed birthday greetings to the Dalai Lama over the telephone. The exchange is seen by some as a shift in the Indian government's stance.
The Tibetan spiritual leader did not attend the event, as Covid cases are still on the rise in India. He has refrained from making public appearances for the past two years due to the pandemic.

Among the attendees were Hollywood actor Richard Gere and officials of the Tibetan government in exile.

New Delhi recognizes Tibet as an autonomous region of China, but has territorial disputes with the country on its northern border.

The Dalai Lama fled Tibet more than six decades ago after a failed uprising against Chinese rule.