Indian police have detained 13 Tibetan exiles who joined an anti-China protest outside the Chinese embassy in the capital, New Delhi.

A group of Tibetan youths gathered outside the embassy Sunday, saying they were showing solidarity with at least seven China-based monks who have set themselves on fire this year to protest perceived religious repression by Beijing. The Tibetan activists raised banners and chanted slogans denouncing China before Indian police broke up the protest.

Tibetan rights groups say two former Buddhist monks set themselves on fire last Friday in a Tibetan area of southwest China's Sichuan province, while at least five other monks committed similar protests earlier this year. At least one of those monks died.

The United States has responded to the self-immolations by calling on China to respect the rights of Tibetans and to address policies that have created tension in Tibetan areas. Many Tibetans are angry about what they see as increasing domination of their communities by China's majority Han ethnic group.

China has rejected the U.S. criticism, expressing opposition to interference in its internal affairs and insisting that it protects the legal rights of the country's ethnic minorities. China also says Tibetan living standards have improved with billions of dollars of Chinese investment.