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Buddhism has long been a spiritual bridge between India and the nations of Southeast and East Asia. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has recognised this.
PM Modi’s strategic integration of Buddhism into foreign policy exemplifies cultural diplomacy at its finest. (IMAGE: X/Narendra Modi)
How PM Modi Harnesses the Power of Buddhism in India’s Foreign Policy
PM Modi’s visit to Bangkok, Thailand, for the BIMSTEC summit made for a brilliant show of cultural diplomacy. He visited the Wat Pho Temple, accompanied by Thai PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra. Paying homage to the Reclining Buddha, he offered ‘Sanghadana’ to senior monks and gifted a replica of the Ashokan Lion Capital.
Modi also proposed sending Lord Buddha’s relics from Gujarat to Thailand, while Shinawatra gifted him a special edition of the Buddhist Ti-Pitaka scriptures in Pali, symbolising shared cultural heritage. 94% of Thailand’s 72 million people are Buddhist, which is why this outreach will strike a chord.
Buddhism has long been a spiritual bridge between India and the nations of Southeast and East Asia. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has recognised this and strategically placed Buddhism at the heart of India’s foreign policy, leveraging it as a tool for cultural diplomacy, soft power, and geopolitical strategy.
Why India is Uniquely Positioned for Buddhist Diplomacy
Despite having a relatively small Buddhist population today, India holds unparalleled legitimacy in the Buddhist world. As the birthplace of Buddhism, India is where Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree in Bodh Gaya.
The country is home to some of the most significant Buddhist pilgrimage sites, including Sarnath, Nalanda, Rajgir, and Kushinagar. Additionally, India has played a crucial role as the custodian of Tibetan Buddhism, offering refuge to the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government-in-exile, further strengthening its ties to Tibetan Buddhist traditions.
India’s historical engagement with Buddhism also extends to its diplomatic initiatives, dating back to Emperor Ashoka’s dharmavijaya (conquest through Dharma) and continuing into the present.
The country maintains strong cultural and historical links with both Theravāda Buddhism, practiced in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia, and Mahāyāna Buddhism, followed in China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. These diverse connections make India a unifying force in global Buddhist discourse.
PM Modi’s Use of Buddhism in Diplomacy
PM Modi’s international visits and diplomatic initiatives have consistently highlighted India’s Buddhist connections. From visiting key Buddhist sites to gifting sacred relics and artefacts, PM Modi has actively reinforced India’s spiritual ties with Buddhist-majority nations.
In Sri Lanka (2024), his visit to the Mahabodhi Temple at Anuradhapura underscores India’s deep-rooted spiritual connections with the Theravāda Buddhist stronghold. At the India-ASEAN Summit in Laos (2024), he gifted a vintage brass Buddha statue to the Laotian President, symbolising cultural affinity.
In Nepal (2022), he laid the foundation stone for the India International Centre for Buddhist Culture and Heritage in Lumbini, Buddha’s birthplace. Strengthening ties with Japan (2023), Modi and PM Fumio Kishida visited the Bal Bodhi Tree in Delhi. India also deepened its engagement with Mongolia by sending the Kapilavastu relics in 2022 and unveiling a Buddha statue at Gandan Tegchenling Monastery in Ulaanbaatar in 2019.
India has actively hosted international Buddhist summits and celebrations to reinforce its position as the global centre of Buddhism. The Global Buddhist Summit (2023) brought together scholars, monks, and policymakers to discuss how Buddhist philosophy can address contemporary challenges.
Additionally, PM Modi attended International Vesak Day (2017) celebrations in Colombo, reaffirming India’s commitment to the Buddhist world.
To attract Buddhist pilgrims and scholars, India has invested in key infrastructure projects.
The Buddhist Circuit connects important Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India, while the Mahaparinirvan Express train provides seamless travel between these locations. The opening of Kushinagar International Airport has further eased access for foreign visitors.
Additionally, the revival of Nalanda University aims to reestablish India as a global centre for Buddhist learning.
How Buddhist Diplomacy Helps India
India’s Buddhist diplomacy serves multiple strategic purposes. It counters China’s influence, especially with Tibetan Buddhism. It strengthens cultural ties with Southeast and East Asian nations under the ‘Act East’ and ‘Neighbourhood First’ policies. From ASEAN countries to Japan and Mongolia, this approach fosters tremendous goodwill, facilitating trade, investment, and security cooperation.
Buddhist tourism has a global scale, and opens up huge opportunities in India. And finally, by positioning itself as the spiritual and intellectual home of Buddhism, India reinforces its global soft power and leadership in promoting peace and harmony.
PM Modi’s strategic integration of Buddhism into foreign policy exemplifies cultural diplomacy at its finest. From gifting sacred relics to launching Buddhist summits and developing world-class pilgrimage infrastructure, India is re-establishing itself as the heart of the Buddhist world.
In doing so, Modi is not just reviving historical ties—he is crafting a powerful diplomatic tool that aligns seamlessly with India’s broader geopolitical goals in the Indo-Pacific.
