Dharamshala, May 27, 2026 – Penpa Tsering was officially sworn in on Wednesday for a second consecutive term as the head of the Central Tibetan Administration during a ceremony held in Dharamshala in the presence of the Dalai Lama.
Tsering, 58, secured another five-year term after winning the February 2026 election among Tibetans living in exile across India and abroad. He received more than 60% of the votes, allowing him to be declared reelected without a final runoff.
During his oath-taking ceremony, Penpa Tsering reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to the “Middle Way Policy,” a strategy promoted by the Dalai Lama that seeks a peaceful resolution to the Tibet issue through dialogue and nonviolence rather than independence. He also said the administration would continue cautious back-channel communication with the Chinese government.
The Central Tibetan Administration, founded in 1959 after the Dalai Lama fled Tibet following a failed uprising against Chinese rule, operates from Dharamshala and functions as Tibet’s government-in-exile with executive, legislative and judicial branches.
China does not recognize the Central Tibetan Administration and has repeatedly rejected its authority. Beijing has also accused the Dalai Lama of promoting separatism, a claim denied by Tibetan leaders.
