Hindistan's Effort to Revive its Shared Civilizational Heritage in Asia During the Modi Era

Hindistan Başbakanı Narendra Modi's visit to the Prambanan Temple in Endonezya is considered just a small part of his country's comprehensive cultural heritage diplomacy maintained over the last decade. The Hindistan government is making significant efforts for the restoration of historical temples and cultural centers in many Asian countries such as Bangladeş, Vietnam, Myanmar, Nepal, Kamboçya, Laos, Bahreyn, and Sri Lanka. These comprehensive projects aim to prevent the disappearance of centuries-old cultural symbols through grant aid and conservation work. At the same time, these initiatives function as an important tool in Hindistan's strategy to strengthen its shared civilizational bonds, which have deep roots with its neighbors and the wider world. Through this, Hindistan seeks to solidify its position not only as a regional power but also as a global actor leading the preservation of cultural heritage.

This heritage diplomacy of the Modi government was shaped by significant steps from its early periods in South and Southeast Asia. For example, in 2014, Hindistan signed a memorandum of understanding to restore the Mỹ Sơn Temple in Vietnam, which is one of the most important Shiva temple complexes in Southeast Asia and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This step was an indication of Hindistan's determination to keep the religious center of the ancient Champa Kingdom in the region alive. In 2015, a grant of 326 million Sri Lanka Rupees was provided for the restoration of the historical Thiruketheeswaram Temple in Sri Lanka, revitalizing the project. The restoration of this temple, one of the five ancient Pancha Ishwarams dedicated to Lord Shiva in Sri Lanka, contributed to the religious and cultural rapprochement between the two countries. With such projects, Hindistan not only repaired historical structures but also brought to light the deep-rooted traces of the Hindu belief system in the region.

Restoration and conservation efforts expanded over time, spreading to other neighboring countries such as Myanmar and Nepal. In 2017, Hindistan signed an agreement for the restoration of earthquake-damaged monuments in the Bagan Archaeological Area, a UNESCO-protected zone in Myanmar. In this context, the Archaeological Survey of Hindistan (ASI) undertook the restoration of 12 historical pagodas and completed comprehensive conservation work at the historical Ananda Temple. In the same year, following the devastating earthquake in Nepal, Hindistan reached an agreement with Kathmandu to restore 28 cultural heritage sites as part of a 50 million dollar reconstruction aid program. This comprehensive project included raising the iconic symbols of Nepal, such as the Seto Machhindranath Temple and the Budhanilkantha Temple Dharamshala. Thus, Hindistan practically proved that it stands by neighboring countries in times of crisis to protect their cultural heritage.

Hindistan's civilization-oriented foreign policy was not limited to South Asia; it also extended to the Körfez region, encompassing different centers of faith. During Prime Minister Modi's visit to Bahreyn in 2019, the official launch of a 4.2 million dollar redevelopment project for the 200-year-old Shreenathji Temple, located in the capital Manama and one of the oldest Hindu temples in the Körfez region, took place. This step demonstrated the value given to the religious needs of the Indian diaspora and the strength of the historical ties between the two countries. The foreign policy strategies of the time were built on the goal of preserving the significant symbols of the Hindu faith on a global scale and passing them on to future generations. With such initiatives, Hindistan continued to effectively use its soft power by placing its cultural sphere of influence at the foundation of its diplomatic relations.

In recent years, Hindistan's cultural restoration work has reached remarkable proportions in countries such as Kamboçya, Bangladeş, and Laos. In Bangladeş, Hindistan supported the reconstruction of the historical Ramna Kali Temple, which was destroyed during the Pakistan operation in 1971, in 2021, and similarly led the preservation of important religious centers such as the Joy Kali Maa Temple and the Anandomoyee Kali Maa Temple. Since 2022, the restoration and conservation processes of world-famous structures such as Ta Prohm, Angkor Wat, and Preah Vihear in the Angkor heritage complex in Kamboçya have been meticulously carried out by Indian authorities. In 2024, in Laos, the key structures of the approximately 1,000-year-old UNESCO heritage Vat Phou Shiva Temple, considered one of the oldest surviving symbols of the Sanatan civilization in Southeast Asia, were successfully restored. All these efforts clearly demonstrate Hindistan's determination to preserve and sustain ancient Indian heritage worldwide beyond its own borders.