relic diplomacy – Indo-Buddhist Heritage Forum

How China and India Are Spreading Buddhism — and Why India’s Path Rings Truer

Buddhism, born over 2,500 years ago in the Indian subcontinent, has re-emerged in the twenty-first century as a powerful tool of diplomacy. Both China and India are harnessing Buddhism’s soft power potential to build cultural bridges and influence regional geopolitics. Yet the two nations’ methods and motivations could not be more different.

Beijing’s Diplomatic Appropriation of Theravada Buddhism

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Under Xi Jinping, the CCP is weaponizing Theravada Buddhism for diplomacy and the Belt and Road Initiative. While temples in Yunnan face shortages and neglect, Beijing projects Buddhist imagery abroad to secure influence in Southeast Asia, from relic diplomacy in Myanmar to blocking the Dalai Lama in Sri Lanka. This strategy exposes the Party’s instrumental use of religion at the expense of authentic Buddhist practice.

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How China and India Are Spreading Buddhism — and Why India’s Path Rings TruerOctober 26, 2025
Buddhism, born over 2,500 years ago in the Indian subcontinent, has re-emerged in the twenty-first century as a powerful tool of diplomacy. Both China and India are harnessing Buddhism’s soft power potential to build cultural bridges and influence regional geopolitics. Yet the two nations’ methods and motivations could not be more different.
Piprahwa Gems and the Sacred Relics of the BuddhaOctober 7, 2025
The Piprahwa Stupa in Siddharthnagar, Uttar Pradesh, houses the sacred relics of Lord Buddha discovered in a stone casket inscribed in Brahmi script. Dating to the Ashokan period (c. 230 BCE), the site reveals precious gems and relics of the Sakyas, affirming Piprahwa’s link to the Buddha’s homeland near Lumbini.
Beijing’s Diplomatic Appropriation of Theravada BuddhismSeptember 21, 2025
Under Xi Jinping, the CCP is weaponizing Theravada Buddhism for diplomacy and the Belt and Road Initiative. While temples in Yunnan face shortages and neglect, Beijing projects Buddhist imagery abroad to secure influence in Southeast Asia, from relic diplomacy in Myanmar to blocking the Dalai Lama in Sri Lanka. This strategy exposes the Party’s instrumental use of religion at the expense of authentic Buddhist practice.