India Adopts Soft Power to Counter China in Global Buddhism

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on January 3, inaugurated an exhibition—‘The Light and the Lotus: Relics of the Awakened One’—in New Delhi to present the rare Piprahwa Gems, a sacred Buddhist relic. The gems were excavated in 1898 by British engineer William Claxton Pappe from the Piprahwa stupa in Kapilvastu, situated in Siddharth Nagar District of Uttar Pradesh.

The exhibition is not merely a cultural or spiritual event. The larger aim of the Indian foreign policy is to counter China’s influence on the global Buddhist world. Through Buddhism and by adopting soft power diplomacy, the Indian government is looking to reach out to Buddhist-majority countries and populations across the world. The inauguration of the exhibition was a step in that direction. The process had been long-winded, but carefully thought through. 

The gems were the first discovery of bodily remains of Buddha, and hence, these relics are not merely objects but hold significant spiritual and cultural value for the global Buddhist communities and countries. The colonial government had donated a substantial portion of the Buddha's remains to the king of Thailand. The rest of the treasures are kept in Kolkata’s Victoria Museum. It was later discovered that the descendant of Pappe also possessed a substantial portion of the gem excavation. The family had planned an auction of gems through Sotheby’s in Hong Kong on May 7, 2025. They had fixed Rs 1,600 crore as the base price of the gems. 

The news of the auction received widespread condemnation in the British media and academia. Several Ambedkarite leaders and academics from India, such as Prakash Ambedkar, Chandrashekhar Azad, Arvind Kumar, Bal Gangadhar and Suraj Kumar Bouddha, petitioned the Government of India to halt the auction. Sensing growing public pressure, the government issued a legal notice to stop the auction. The government cited violation of the Indian Treasure and Trove Act (1870), the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act (1958), the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act (1972), the UNESCO Convention (1970), the UNIDROIT Convention (1995), and the Hague Convention (1954). Following these efforts, Sotheby’s suspended the auction.

By preventing the auction, India has managed to win a geopolitical battle against China. The action is not only a significant step in bringing the ancient historical treasure that belongs to the country back, but also a geopolitical and cultural diplomacy which will mitigate China’s growing influence in the Buddhist world.

Diplomacy Through Buddhism

Political scientist Joseph Nye introduced the concept of soft power in the late 1980s in his book Soft Power: The Means to Success in World Politics. According to Nye, a nation can influence anyone using soft power rather than using hard power (coercion).

India, the birthplace of Buddha, holds a vital position in the Buddhist community worldwide. However, recently, China has begun using Buddhism as a form of soft power to increase its influence in Buddhist countries. It aims to establish its dominance in Asia and around the world, not only through economic and military power, but also through cultural diplomacy, particularly via Buddhism. For decades, China has sought to enhance its control and influence through its Buddhist heritage, particularly in Buddhist countries, aiming to be recognised globally as a leading Buddhist cultural and spiritual force, especially in South Asia, East Asia, and Central Asia.

By stopping this auction, India has expanded its influence not only within its borders but also among Buddhist communities worldwide. Many countries in Southeast Asia share cultural and religious ties with India. Over the past few decades, China has aggressively expanded its influence in Southeast Asia and South Asia through a combination of economic investment, infrastructure development, and cultural outreach. One area where China has strategically sought to expand its soft power is Buddhism, even though India, being the birthplace of Buddhism, has historically viewed itself as the spiritual and cultural leader of the Buddhist world.

To counter the growing Chinese influence, the Indian government has taken special measures, such as organising the annual Buddhist conference, sending sacred relics of the Buddha to Buddhist-majority countries, and inviting heads of East Asian Buddhist countries as guests to the Republic Day Parade. International Buddhist conclaves, restoration and global showcasing of sacred relics, development of the Buddhist Circuit, and cultural exchanges with countries such as Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Japan, Vietnam, Mongolia, Nepal, and South Korea are some of the other measures adopted by the country.

Therefore, the Indian government’s intervention in stopping the auction of the Piprawah gems is a strong geopolitical act of resistance against the commodification of sacred objects. It directly challenges China's growing dominance in the global Buddhist community. By demanding that Sotheby's halt the sale, India has asserted its rightful claim as the true custodian of Buddhist heritage. India has demonstrated a clever and comprehensive strategy to enrich its cultural heritage, strengthen its national identity, and extend its regional influence.

Attracting Tourists Worldwide

Buddhist sites located in the Terai regions of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar present a vital scope for the development of religious tourism in the country. An agreement to enhance cultural cooperation was signed during a bilateral meeting between India's Minister of Culture, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, and the UK's Secretary of State for Culture, Lisa Nandy. India's proactive approach has further strengthened its Buddhist tourism strategy, which holds immense economic potential for the country's tourism sector. India is already developing pilgrimage routes to sites associated with the life of the Buddha, from Lumbini and Bodh Gaya to Sarnath and Kushinagar through the Buddhist Circuit Project. By reestablishing its Buddhist heritage, India can compete with China both culturally and economically. India can attract millions of pilgrims from around the world, especially from Asia, by establishing itself as the spiritual homeland of Buddhism. Through this comprehensive cultural strategy, India has further strengthened its claim in the Indo-Pacific, ASEAN, Quad diplomacy, and regional culture.

By placing sacred relics of the Buddha at these large events inaugurated by the Prime Minister, the government is transforming spiritual heritage into a global diplomatic language. Through the soft power of cultural diplomacy, the Indian government is building a strong symbolic bridge and establishing a strong tie-up with the global Buddhist world.

Krishna Mohan Lal is a PhD research scholar at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai

(Views expressed at personal)