With Thailand, Sri Lanka visits, PM Modi to reinforce Buddhism as key pillar of foreign policy

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the famous Wat Pho Temple in Thailand on Friday mirrors his continuing focus on Buddhism as an important pillar of Indian foreign policy. Modi's visit to Wat Pho Temple, also known as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, and later to the Mahabodhi Temple at Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka, both are additional instances of his ongoing efforts to place Buddhism at the heart of India’s foreign policy and reinforce India’s role as a global centre for Buddhism.

In 2024, at the India-ASEAN Summit, PM Modi gifted a vintage brass Buddha statue to Laos President Thongloun Sisoulith , symbolising shared heritage and India’s commitment to cultural diplomacy. In the same year, India sent several sacred relics of Lord Buddha and his disciples to Thailand.

The relics of Lord Buddha and his disciples, Arahant Sariputta and Arahant Maha Moggallana, were taken to Bangkok by an Indian delegation and displayed for 25 days in four cities of Thailand.

In 2023, Modi and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida visited the Bal Bodhi Tree at Buddha Jayanti Park in Delhi, reinforcing the deep-rooted Buddhist ties between India and Japan. India also hosted the first-ever Global Buddhist Summit bringing together scholars and practitioners to discuss contemporary challenges through the lens of Buddhist philosophy, where PM Modi stressed that Buddha’s teachings provided solutions to global issues.

In 2022, the Prime Minister visited Lumbini, Nepal, on Buddha Purnima and laid the foundation stone for the India International Centre for Buddhist Culture and Heritage, a landmark project promoting Buddhist culture and strengthening Indo-Nepal spiritual ties.

The same year, India sent four Holy Relics of Lord Buddha, known as the Kapilavastu Relics, to Mongolia for an 11-day exposition coinciding with Mongolian Buddha Purnima celebrations. A 25-member delegation accompanied the relics to the Batsagaan Temple in the Gandan Monastery complex in Ulaanbaatar, highlighting India’s commitment to Buddhist diplomacy and cultural exchange.

Earlier in 2019, PM Modi and Khaltmaagiin Battulga, President of Mongolia, jointly unveiled a statue of Lord Buddha and his two disciples, installed at the historic Gandan Tegchenling Monastery in Ulaanbaatar.

In 2018, PM Modi had visited the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple in Singapore, showcasing India’s respect for Singapore’s Buddhist heritage and reinforcing cultural connections and in 2017, Modi’s Buddhist outreach was evident during his visit to Sri Lanka where he addressed the International Vesak Day celebrations in Colombo and visited the Gangaramaya Buddhist Temple.

During his visit to Vietnam in 2016 also, the PM had toured the Quan Su Pagoda in Hanoi, interacting with Buddhist monks and emphasising India’s commitment to Buddhist diplomacy in Southeast Asia.

In 2015, the Prime Minister had reinforced India’s Buddhist ties with multiple nations and visited the DaXingshan Temple and Big Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi’an, China, highlighting the historical Buddhist exchanges between India and China. In Mongolia, he visited the Gandan Monastery, where he emphasised the common spiritual heritage of the two nations.

During his visit to Japan's Kyoto in 2014, Modi explored the Toji and Kinkaku-ji temples, reinforcing India-Japan Buddhist ties and attended a luncheon hosted by the Kyoto Buddhist Association, reflecting his commitment to engaging with Buddhist leaders globally.

At home, the government has undertaken significant steps to promote Buddhist heritage.

"The Buddhist Circuit, developed under his leadership, traces significant sites associated with Lord Buddha’s life and teachings, enhancing pilgrimage tourism. To facilitate travel across these sacred locations, the Buddhist Circuit Tourist Train (Mahaparinirvan Express) was introduced, offering an immersive pilgrimage experience covering India and Nepal’s most revered Buddhist sites," official sources said today.

They also flagged the Kushinagar International Airport, which has significantly improved access to pilgrimage destinations, and the revival of Nalanda University, which reinstates India as a global centre for Buddhist learning.  The government had earlier recognised Pali as a classical language, ensuring the preservation of Buddhist literature.