India Works To Boost Buddhist Ties With ASEAN

NEW DELHI (IANS) – India has significantly deepened its cultural and spiritual ties with Southeast Asia through a series of high-profile initiatives centered around Buddhist heritage and tourism.

Over the past two years, the government has facilitated two major expositions of the Holy Relics of Lord Buddha.

The first, held in Thailand from February 22 to March 19, 2024, showcased relics of Buddha and his disciples across four venues, drawing over 4 million devotees.

The second, hosted in Vietnam featured relics from Nagarjunakonda, Andhra Pradesh, displayed at nine locations during Vesak celebrations, attracting an estimated 18 million visitors.

These efforts have not only reinforced India’s civilizational bonds with Buddhist-majority nations but also advanced cultural diplomacy under the ASEAN-India cooperation framework, the Indian parliament was told.

India is currently supporting a feasibility study for the development of an ASEAN Cultural Heritage List.

A high-level Thai delegation visited Gujarat in June 2025, accompanied by Indian representatives. India organized a nine-day familiarization trip to Buddhist sites for 50 participants from Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, and Vietnam.

The tour, conducted in coordination with the governments of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, aimed to promote India’s Buddhist circuit and foster people-to-people connections.

The upcoming International Tourism Mart in Sikkim will include business networking between Northeast Indian stakeholders and global buyers, including ASEAN nations. (IANS)