Tibet’s government in exile has sworn in a new prime minister as per the wishes of Tibet’s spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, to hand over leadership to a younger generation.

Lobsang Sangay took the oath of office in a ceremony in the north Indian hill town of Dharamsala.

In his first address, he said he would continue efforts to free his homeland from what he called Chinese “colonialism”.

The new generation of Tibetans is looking for a fresh direction and wants closure to the Tibetan stalemate.

But the prime minister has his work cut out for him, as China has refused to hold talks with him or recognise him as the representative of the Tibetan people.

Al Jazeera’s Nilanjan Chowdhury reports from northern India.