In a significant gesture of spiritual diplomacy, India will send a sacred relic of the Buddha from Sarnath to Vietnam for exposition coinciding with the Vesak, marking the first such journey to the Southeast Asian nation. Organised by India’s Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), the event shows the deep cultural and spiritual connect between the two countries, rooted in the shared heritage of Buddhism. Millions of devotees are expected to pay homage during the 20-day exposition.

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The relic, excavated from Nagarjuna Konda in Andhra Pradesh and enshrined at Mulagandha Kuti Vihara in Sarnath, arrived at the National Museum in New Delhi on April 30, amidst prayers and chants. Abhijit Halder, Director General, International Buddhist Confederation, Vietnam Ambassador to India Nguyen Thanh Hai and Sri Lanka's acting high commissioner Priyanga Wickramasinghe were present when the sacred relics arrived. Housed in a protected enclosure, it will be open for meditation and veneration by Buddhist followers, including diplomats from Buddhist nations.

Speaking to WION, DG Abhijit Halder said, "Large number of Vietnamese come to India to various Buddhist sites, Sarnath, Bodh Gaya. This time when we take relics, we have a very unique occasion, we have UN Vesak in Ho Chi Minh City. 40,000 people across the world, from 100 countries will be converging, around that time we taking Holy relic from India."

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On May 1, the relic will be flown to Ho Chi Minh City aboard an Indian Air Force aircraft, escorted by senior monks and led by Kiren Rijiju, India’s Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs. The IBC, a New Delhi-based organisation plays a key role in coordinating the entire exposition. A high-level IBC delegation, led by Secretary General Ven. Shartse Khensur Rinpoche Jangchup Choeden, will accompany the relic and participate in Vesak celebrations. The relic will be venerated at key sites across Vietnam: Hanh Tâm Monastery in Ho Chi Minh City (May 2–8), Bà Đen Mountain in Tây Ninh Province (May 9–13), Quán Sứ Monastery in Hanoi (May 14–18), and Tam Chúc Monastery in Hà Nam Province (May 18–21). DG Halder explained, "It shows the strong historic bonds..."

Coinciding with the UN Day of Vesak, which celebrates the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and passing, the exposition aligns with the theme “Buddhist Approach to Unity and Inclusivity for Human Dignity.” The IBC will also host three exhibitions in Vietnam, showcasing Jataka tales, Buddhist sculptures, and a comparative study of Indian and Vietnamese Buddhist artifacts. A highlight is the digital restoration of Ajanta Cave murals, including the 5th-century Bodhisattva Padmapani, presented in collaboration with the Prasad Pawar Foundation.

India has sent sacred Buddha relics abroad for exposition on several occasions, primarily to strengthen cultural and spiritual ties with Buddhist-majority countries. These include Thailand in 2024, Mongolia in 2022.