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.

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,........

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