Some 30 Tibetan exiles protesting against Chinese religious policies stormed the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi on Wednesday, with several breaching the front gate and chaining themselves to the flag pole, witnesses said.

AP Television footage showed protesters spraying "Free Tibet" in red paint on the embassy walls and the main gate before all the demonstrators were forcibly taken away by Indian police.

The activists were protesting a recent Chinese order that Beijing must approve all of Tibet's spiritual leaders, known as Lamas.

For centuries, the search for the reincarnation of lamas, including Tibet's spiritual head, the Dalai Lama, has been carried out by select Tibetan monks.

The new order, which came into force in September, states that all future incarnations of living Buddhas related to Tibetan Buddhism must get Chinese government approval.

Descending from a bus, the activists ran through the embassy's main gate that was guarded by private guards only.

About six of the protesters scaled an inner wall and entered the main embassy compound where they chained themselves to a flag post and waved the Tibetan flag.

A leader of the Tibetan Youth Congress who was at the protest said the order was an attempt to undermine the influence of the Dalai Lama.

After about 15 minutes Indian police arrived and detained the protesters.

Indian police had no immediate comment on the breach of security, while phones at the embassy rang unanswered.