In an era of geopolitical uncertainty, punctuated by trade wars, rising costs, and fractured alliances, diplomacy is increasingly being conducted not just in boardrooms and embassies but in temples and pilgrimage sites.
From May to June this year, India loaned sacred relics of the Buddha to Vietnam for a historic multi-city exposition. Drawing nearly 15 million devotees, the event underscored not only the enduring appeal of Buddhist piety but also religion’s growing role in diplomacy.
A year earlier, India had loaned similar relics to Thailand to mark Makha Bucha Day and King Vajiralongkorn’s birthday, reflecting a growing pattern of religious soft power.
China has also embraced Buddhist diplomacy to advance its foreign policy objectives and shape cultural narratives. In December last year, it sent the Buddha’s tooth relic from Beijing’s Lingguang Temple on a high-profile loan to Thailand, an event that was widely promoted and attended by Thai elites.
Beijing has also asserted its authority over Tibetan Buddhism by claiming the right to determine the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation. While religious in form, these actions reflect a deeper geopolitical strategy: the use of Buddhism in foreign policy.
Buddhist diplomacy is not a new phenomenon. Monarchs across Asia historically used Buddhist relics, texts and emissaries to assert legitimacy and affirm alliances. Today, this practice is experiencing a revival across the Asia-Pacific, which is home to nearly half a billion Buddhists.
Governments are rediscovering Buddhism as a vehicle for cultural diplomacy, narrative-building and strategic influence. While this opens new avenues for connection and cooperation, it also carries risks, especially when spiritual traditions are co-opted for political purposes or become entangled in geopolitical rivalries.
India, China and the contest for influence
India and China are the most prominent actors in this resurgence, both drawing on their Buddhist heritage to shape regional and global perceptions, often in subtle rivalry.
Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has positioned itself as the Buddha’s homeland and invested in initiatives such as the “Buddhist Circuit” and relic loans to strengthen ties with Buddhist-majority nations.
China, in turn, has woven Buddhist diplomacy into its Belt and Road Initiative. The Xi Jinping administration has organized international Buddhist conferences, revitalized pilgrimage sites, and nurtured ties with Theravada communities in countries like Thailand, Sri Lanka and Myanmar.
It has also promoted the idea of “South China Sea Buddhism” as shared regional heritage to legitimize its maritime presence. Such efforts project a benevolent image of China abroad, particularly amid rising regional tensions.
Although China and India share a deep historical connection through Buddhism, most famously through the pilgrimages of Faxian, Xuanzang and Yijing, their contemporary engagements are often shaped by competition more than solidarity.
Both Asian powers seek to position themselves as stewards of Buddhist heritage and as leaders of a pan-Asian spiritual renaissance.
But their efforts are complicated by unresolved border conflicts and diverging visions of regional order. The Dalai Lama’s presence in India adds a further layer of religious sensitivity and friction.
As each country turns to Buddhism as soft power, their parallel efforts often reflect competition rather than cooperation.
Singapore’s quiet bridge-building
While attention often focuses on major powers, smaller states also play pivotal roles. In Singapore, Buddhist diplomacy preceded the establishment of formal ties with the People’s Republic of China.
Between 1982 and 1990, Venerable Hong Choon, president of the Singapore Buddhist Federation, visited China eight times, meeting Vice President Ulanhu, Buddhist leader Zhao Puchu, and the Panchen Lama. In 1985, he led a landmark interfaith delegation from Singapore to China.
These exchanges occurred at a time when Singapore and China had no formal diplomatic relations. Both governments discreetly supported them.
When Zhao Puchu visited Singapore in 1988, he was received not only as a religious leader but also as a high-level envoy by then Deputy Prime Minister Ong Teng Cheong. Such engagements paved the way for stronger bilateral ties and demonstrated how religious actors can serve as intermediaries and trust-builders.
These early interactions laid the foundation for more formalized exchanges. In 2014, the Asian Civilizations Museum partnered with the Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau to present “Secrets of the Fallen Pagoda: Treasures from Famen Temple and the Tang Court.”
Featuring Buddhist artefacts from the Famen Temple, renowned for its finger bone relic of the Buddha, the exhibition used Buddhism to illustrate Tang cosmopolitanism.
Though framed as a museum event, it highlighted how Buddhism can serve as a platform for diplomacy by connecting the shared cultural and religious heritage between China and Singapore.
When religious diplomacy cuts both ways
Elsewhere in Asia, Buddhist diplomacy manifests in diverse ways. In Japan, the late Nichidatsu Fujii played a significant role in building Peace Pagodas around the world to promote global peace in the aftermath of the Second World War.
In Bhutan, the principles of Gross National Happiness have shaped a distinctive model of diplomacy that emphasizes balance and compassion over economic gain.
These examples suggest that Buddhist diplomacy can foster a more ethical and culturally rooted model of engagement. In a region marked by colonial legacies, contested histories, and resurgent nationalism, appeals to shared religious heritage can open channels of communication and exchange.
However, the strategic use of religion also carries risks. When states instrumentalize Buddhism for soft power, sacred symbols may become politicized or lose spiritual depth.
Pilgrimages and relic displays, while powerful, can alienate local communities if perceived as propaganda or spectacle. The growing rivalry between China and India in this arena illustrates how easily cultural outreach can become a proxy for geopolitical tension.
To avoid these pitfalls, governments should engage local communities and religious institutions as partners rather than props, and ensure that Buddhist diplomacy is not reduced to a mere tool of foreign policy.
Cross-border collaboration between Buddhist organizations, scholarly exchanges, and interfaith dialogue can help preserve the integrity of the tradition while fostering genuine people-to-people ties.
Ultimately, religious diplomacy—whether through Buddhism or other faiths—should aim not only to enhance a nation’s image, but also to promote shared values of compassion, restraint, and understanding across the region.
Still, Buddhist diplomacy retains its appeal because it offers a vision of international relations grounded in compassion, peace, and mutual respect. It provides an alternative to zero-sum politics and coercive power. In an increasingly polarized world, that vision is both timely and necessary.
As the Buddha’s relics return to India, they conclude a significant chapter in Vietnam’s spiritual journey. Yet the broader diplomatic story is still unfolding. For Asia, the rediscovery of Buddhism as soft power suggests not only a strategy but a path where culture, faith and politics may find harmony.
Jack Meng-Tat Chia is the Foo Hai Fellow in Buddhist Studies and Associate Professor of History at the National University of Singapore. He is the editor of Figures of Buddhist Diplomacy in Modern Asia, supported by the Social Science and Humanities Research Fellowship.
