Last month, the Delhi-based non-profit organization, Vivekananda International Foundation, organized with International Buddhist Confederation the fourth Samvad conference in Bangkok and Krabi, Thailand. Just as with Ulaanbaatar in 2019, when India and Mongolia signed several major bilateral deals after Samvad III, the release of 2024’s conclave statement (“Declaration of the Hindu-Buddhist Summit: A Vision for the 21st Century”) was followed by major bilateral deals between India and Thailand.
Six agreements for cooperation were signed between Thai PM Paetongtarn “Ung Ing” Shinawatra and her Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi in several sectors, including the IT, maritime, handicraft sectors. Last week, fellow writer on Buddhistdoor Global Sanjoy Barua Chowdhury (who is based in Bangkok) also alerted me to how Ms. Shinawatra presented to him a Pali copy of the Tipitaka, the holy three baskets of Theravada Buddhism. It was taken by Modi to be her subtle tribute to his government’s effort to promote Pali as one of India’s classical languages, as our website also reported.
Modi’s X (formerly known as Twitter) account posted, in recognition of her gesture: “A very special gesture! I am grateful to Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra for giving me a copy of the Tipitaka in Pali. Pali is indeed a beautiful language, carrying within it the essence of Lord Buddha’s teachings. As you are all aware, our Government had conferred the status of Classical Language on Pali last year. People from all over the world have appreciated this decision and it has also encouraged research as well as study on this language.”
On 4 April, India’s Ministry of External Affairs released a press statement about Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana’s meeting with the Indian PM: “They exchanged views on shared cultural heritage between India and Thailand. In this context, they spoke about the relics of Lord Buddha which travelled from India to Thailand last year and the positive impact the initiative has had in further strengthening people-to-people ties between the two countries.” (ThePrint)
Both encounters come on the heels of talk of an “Asian Century” at Samvad, which should be informed by “Dharmic” values: specifically, Hindu-Buddhist ideals that have shaped Indian and broader Asian civilization for more than two millennia. As the statement notes: “We recognize the 21st century as a potential “Asian Century,” marked by economic growth and global influence emanating from the region. . . . Asian civilizational values, which were eclipsed by centuries of external influences, are reemerging as part of the civilizational paradigm that is bouncing back in the global discourse. These values are rooted in Dharma and Dhamma, the philosophical foundations of Hindu and Buddhist faiths. Dharma-Dhamma constitutes a unique philosophical framework that respects other views and accommodates divergent perspectives, avoiding conflicts and promoting peaceful coexistence.”
In a one-two punch for his country’s Buddhist diplomacy, Modi’s next destination after Thailand was Sri Lanka, which is a critical “pivot power” in South Asia. On 6 April, he posted on X: “Offered prayers at the sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura with President Dissanayake. It’s a deeply humbling moment to be at one of the most revered sites in Buddhism. It is a living symbol of peace, enlightenment and spiritual continuity. May the teachings of Lord Buddha always guide us.” Bilateral agreements on infrastructure and other major industries will follow.
Since 2015, through highs and lows in his political career at India’s highest levels of government, Modi has remained consistent on his idea that the Buddha-dharma can function as a bridge to attract Asian nations to build closer ties with India. As nations brace themselves for a new global order in the wake of Trump’s all-out trade war on essentially the whole world, Modi’s long-term bet, which at times has been questioned by even supporters within India, might actually be looking a solid, reliable one.
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PM Modi meets Thai King Vajiralongkorn, Queen Suthida (ThePrint)
Narendra Modi (X)
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India Recognizes Pali as a Classical Language, Highlighting Its Cultural and Religious Significance
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Declaration of the Hindu-Buddhist Summit: A Vision for the 21st Century
