PM Modi Praises Indonesian Buddhist Performance at Vihara Dharma Ratna
Synopsis
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 6 July 2026 praised Indonesia's Vihara Dharma Ratna Group for their performance of 'Homage to the Triple Gem', calling it a celebration of Lord Buddha's timeless teachings and highlighting India's cultural bonds with Southeast Asia.
Key Takeaways
PM Modi called the Vihara Dharma Ratna Group's performance of 'Homage to the Triple Gem' 'exceptional' on 6 July 2026 .
The performance was rooted in the teachings of Lord Buddha and the values of the Triple Gem — the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha.
Indonesia and India share deep civilizational ties through ancient maritime routes and the historical spread of Buddhism, including via the Srivijaya Empire .
Modi's praise aligns with India's Act East Policy (launched 2014 ), which deepens cultural and strategic engagement with ASEAN nations.
The acknowledgement elevates the profile of Buddhist cultural preservation efforts by grassroots artiste groups in Indonesia .
Bilateral cultural diplomacy of this nature is expected to precede or accompany future India-Indonesia summits or joint cultural festivals.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, 6 July 2026, praised the performance of 'Homage to the Triple Gem' by artistes of the Vihara Dharma Ratna Group of Indonesia, calling it 'exceptional' and saying it reflected the timeless teachings of Lord Buddha and the profound values of the Triple Gem.
Context
In his post, PM Modi described the performance as a reflection of 'the timeless teachings of Lord Buddha and the profound values embodied in the Triple Gem' — a reference to the three core pillars of Buddhism: the Buddha, the Dharma (teachings), and the Sangha (community). He expressed that it was 'heartening to see the rich Buddhist heritage being preserved and celebrated with such passion by the people of Indonesia.'
The Triple Gem, known in Pali as Tisarana, holds central spiritual significance across Buddhist traditions practised in South and Southeast Asia. The Vihara Dharma Ratna Group's performance drew appreciation from India's top leadership for its cultural and spiritual resonance.
Policy Backdrop
India's engagement with Indonesia has deepened considerably since the upgrade of the Look East Policy to the Act East Policy in 2014, which prioritised strategic, economic, and cultural ties with ASEAN nations. Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-majority country, shares ancient civilizational bonds with India through maritime trade routes and the historical spread of Buddhism, including the once-powerful Srivijaya Empire.
PM Modi has consistently invoked shared Buddhist heritage as a pillar of India's soft-power diplomacy in Southeast Asia. Such outreach is aimed at reinforcing India's historical role as a custodian of Buddhist traditions while fostering goodwill and people-to-people ties with Indonesia.
Stakeholders and Impact
The appreciation from PM Modi carries symbolic weight for Buddhist communities and cultural artistes in Indonesia, signalling recognition at the highest level of Indian government. For the Vihara Dharma Ratna Group, the acknowledgement elevates the profile of grassroots cultural preservation efforts that keep Buddhist traditions alive in the archipelago.
Broader stakeholders include Indian and Indonesian cultural institutions, Buddhist organisations across Southeast Asia, and diplomatic missions working to deepen people-to-people exchanges under the Act East framework. Such moments of cultural diplomacy reinforce the narrative of a shared civilizational identity that transcends political differences.
What's Next
Observers will watch for announcements at the next India-Indonesia bilateral summit or joint cultural festival, where Buddhist heritage projects and institutional exchanges could be formalised. PM Modi's public appreciation may also encourage further collaborative performances and cultural programmes between the two nations, strengthening the people-to-people dimension of the bilateral relationship.
Point of View
Reinforcing India's self-positioning as the spiritual homeland of Buddhism to a strategically important Southeast Asian partner. The gesture fits a well-established pattern of using shared heritage to build goodwill in Muslim-majority Indonesia — a relationship that carries both cultural depth and geopolitical significance within the Act East framework. By publicly elevating a grassroots artiste group, Modi signals that people-to-people ties, not just state-level agreements, are central to India's regional outreach. The post is likely a precursor to or follow-up from a broader bilateral engagement where cultural programming provides diplomatic cover and warmth.
NationPress
6 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Vihara Dharma Ratna Group?
The Vihara Dharma Ratna Group is an Indonesian Buddhist cultural organisation whose artistes performed 'Homage to the Triple Gem', a performance praised by PM Modi on 6 July 2026. The group is associated with preserving Buddhist heritage in Indonesia.
What is the Triple Gem in Buddhism?
The Triple Gem refers to the three core pillars of Buddhism: the Buddha (the enlightened teacher), the Dharma (his teachings), and the Sangha (the community of practitioners). PM Modi referenced the Triple Gem when praising the Indonesian performance.
Why does PM Modi engage with Buddhist heritage in Indonesia?
PM Modi regularly invokes shared Buddhist heritage as part of India's soft-power diplomacy under the Act East Policy, which deepens cultural and strategic ties with ASEAN nations including Indonesia, where ancient civilizational links date back to empires like Srivijaya.
What is India's Act East Policy?
India's Act East Policy, launched in 2014 , upgraded the earlier Look East Policy to prioritise deeper strategic, economic, and cultural engagement with Southeast Asian nations, including Indonesia, under the ASEAN framework.
What are India and Indonesia's historical ties?
India and Indonesia share ancient civilizational bonds through maritime trade routes and the historical spread of Buddhism. The Srivijaya Empire, based in what is now Indonesia, was a major centre of Buddhist learning with close links to the Indian subcontinent.
