Indian Foreign Policy and Soft Power: from Buddhism Perspective of Culture & Relation

This paper presents the foreign policy of India regarding soft power from the perspective of Buddhist philosophy in the 21st century, which has milestone diplomacy especially the regime of Prime Minister Mr. Narender Modi. India is in a position to claim legitimacy, which it’s, promotes Buddhist diplomacy. There is expanding engagement with its Asian countries based on Buddhist philosophy potentially, a large aspect of national interest namely, the Fast Neighborhood policy and Act East policy. From the historical aspect, India hosted the international Buddhist conference in Sanchi that was attended by over three thousand Buddhist nuns, monks, and historians. At that time, this was one of the largest gatherings of Buddhist preachers and followers in the world. Now, Modi's current Government is placing a strong engagement in the use of soft power values in Indian foreign policy. One of the more novel manifestations of these initiatives has been engagement in Buddhist diplomacy. The Buddhist faith due to its emphasis on peaceful coexistence and its wide pan-Asian presence lenses itself well to soft power diplomacy. The science spirituality, art, and faith that developed over millennia in the subcontinent found their way across other regions, earning India a considerable amount of soft power. Thus, it is within this context that one can understand the efforts of the Indian government at incorporating Buddhist heritage form a basis for further diplomatic, economic cultural and strategic links within its foreign policy. This paper will attempt to explore the values of soft power and the principles of Buddhist philosophy affecting foreign policy in the changing international Buddhist environment.