"We stand with you": US lawmaker Brian Mast on Tibet issue during Dharamsala visit

Dharamsala (Himachal Pradesh) [India], September 30 (ANI): Chairman of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, Brian Mast, on Tuesday reaffirmed Washington's support for the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan community as a bipartisan US Congressional delegation led by him arrived in Dharamsala to meet the Tibetan spiritual leader and learn more about the Tibet issue. Speaking to the media at Kangra airport, Mast said the United States has supported the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan community for many years. "We came today in Dharamsala to meet with the Dalai Lama, to learn about an issue that we have supported for many, many years," Mast said. Emphasising the importance of the visit, Mast said that gaining a deeper understanding of the issue required members of the US Congress to see Dharamsala in person. "It's important for us as members of Congress to do everything that we can to learn more about the issue, and that means visiting in person," he said. On the concerns of the Tibetan community, Mast added, "We stand with you." The delegation includes members of the US House of Representatives from both the Republican and Democratic parties. Among those accompanying Mast are Representatives Scott Franklin, Warren Davidson, James Gallagher, Carlos Gimenez, Jimmy Patronis, Shri Thanedar, Yassamin Ansari, Haley Stevens and George Whitesides. The delegation is scheduled to meet the Dalai Lama on Wednesday morning during its visit to Dharamsala. The Dharamsala visit follows high-level engagements between the US lawmakers and Indian officials in New Delhi. On Monday, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh met the bipartisan delegation led by Mast. According to the Ministry of Defence, discussions centred on the evolving India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, with special emphasis on defence industrial and technological cooperation. In a post on X, the Ministry of Defence said, "Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh met with a bipartisan delegation from the United States House of Representatives, led by Representative Brian Mast, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Their discussion centred around the evolving #IndiaUS Comprehensive Global #StrategicPartnership with special emphasis on defence industrial and technological cooperation." On Sunday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri also met the bipartisan US Congressional delegation led by Mast. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal wrote in a post on X, 'Foreign Secretary @VikramMisri met a bipartisan US Congressional delegation led by Rep. @RepBrianMast, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.' Jaiswal said the Foreign Secretary held wide-ranging discussions with the delegation, including the 'Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026' and the future trajectory of India-US bilateral ties. 'Discussions covered the entire gamut of India-US relations, including the recently enacted SRIA legislation and the future trajectory of the relationship. They also exchanged views on international issues of mutual concern, energy security, counter-terrorism and freedom of navigation,' the MEA spokesperson added. The US delegation's engagements in India have thus included discussions on bilateral relations and defence cooperation in New Delhi, followed by its visit to Dharamsala focused on the Tibet issue and its scheduled meeting with the Dalai Lama. (ANI)