NEW DELHI: An element of circumspection seems to have crept in India’s relationship with Dalai Lama , as Delhi shows its willing to distance itself from the the Tibetan spiritual leader to boost relationship with Beijing Top sources confirm that India was willing to bring in some reserve in its relationship with the Dalai Lama, seen as an irritant in the Sino-Indian relations. The government was keen to settle the long-standing border dispute with China “at the earliest”.A secret meeting between Modi and the Tibetan leader in-exile was held at 7, Race Course Road, in August last year, ahead of Chinese President Xi Jingping ’s visit to India. Though details of the “brief meeting” are not known, sources told ET that it did not go too well. More recently, BJP president Amit Shah had cancelled his scheduled meeting with the Dalai Lama on May 2 in Dharamshala ahead of Modi’s China trip .However, none of those signals seem to have cut ice with Beijing, which, according to a top PMO source, has been only hardening its stand of late, demanding extra territory over and above Tawang in Arunachal to fast-track any settlement. Unwilling to make any concessions on this account, India is now looking forward to the crucial talks between the special representatives of both the countries on the sidelines of BRICS summit in Ufa , Russia on July 9 and 10.In what could be seen as efforts by the Indian government to reach back to the Dalai Lama, two junior ministers – Mahesh Sharma and Kiren Rijiju, who is a practicing Buddhist – were sent to Dharamshala to participate in the Tibetan spiritual leader’s birthday celebrations on June 21.