India has reaffirmed the exiled Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama's right to visit its disputed border region with China in the face of objections from Beijing, a media report said Saturday.
The India-based Dalai Lama is slated to visit next month the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, at the centre of a long-simmering border dispute between the giant neighbours.
"The Dalai Lama is a religious figure and he does not indulge in political activities," India's foreign secretary Nirupama Rao said Friday, according to The Indian Express newspaper.
"He is our guest in India and he is free to visit any part of our country," she added. Rao said China's objections to the Buddhist leader's visit had been taken "seriously" but India has been clear about its own position.
Indian media has reported Singh and his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao are expected to meet on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Bangkok.
New Delhi has called for Beijing to take a "long-term view" of India-China ties.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Phayul.