Buddhism: India’s Diplomacy and International Relations with Southeast Asian Nations

Abstract

In the past, Buddhism has served as a crucial civilizational bridge, influencing India’s diplomacy and international relations with Southeast Asian countries. From the time of Emperor Ashoka’s missions in the third century BCE until the maritime trade networks that connected the eastern coast of India with Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and other countries, Buddhist concepts, monastic institutions, art, and literature helped to establish lasting cultural and political ties. These exchanges promoted the spread of Indian writings, architectural styles, moral precepts, and statecraft models, which were selectively adopted by Southeast Asian communities. Through cultural diplomacy, heritage conservation initiatives, academic exchanges, and pilgrimage routes, India’s “Act East Policy” strategically rejuvenates these shared Buddhist heritages in the modern era, strengthening soft power interaction. India’s position as a spiritual and intellectual interlocutor in the area is strengthened by institutions like the revived Nalanda University and international Buddhist meetings. In this way, Buddhism functions as a dynamic tool of transnational dialogue in Indo-Southeast Asian relations, promoting mutual trust, regional cooperation, and a shared awareness of civilization, not only as a religious tradition. Therefore, the main objectives of this study are: to examine the historical spread and cultural integration of Buddhism from India to Southeast Asia; to assess current diplomatic efforts such as India’s “Act East Policy” and Buddhist diplomacy; and to determine how a shared Buddhist heritage promotes regional cooperation, cultural diplomacy, and people-to-people ties. This study has been adopted qualitative methodology, based on a multidisciplinary framework that has includes historical analysis, content analysis of official pronouncements and government documents, and an examination of scholarly publications on cultural diplomacy. As well as to provide specific examples of cultural dialogue, case studies of India’s Buddhist circuit promotion, international Buddhist conferences, and cooperation with countries such as Myanmar, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam. Additionally, the study has utilized primary sources such as official documents from the Ministry of External Affairs and speeches by Indian leaders. The study has been explored how India’s use of Buddhism as a cultural bridge strengthens its regional influence, promotes peaceful coexistence, and advances multilateralism based on shared heritage. As well as issues such as geopolitical rivalries and the varying meanings of Buddhist rituals have also been addressed.