Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Saturday, 11 July 2026 praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the Indian community in Auckland, New Zealand, in which Modi paid tribute to Sikh Guru Sahibs and highlighted the tradition of Langar Seva performed by Gurdwaras and Sikhs worldwide. Puri also disclosed that his own family has, for over 300 years, been entrusted with the sacred Jore Sahib 'Charan Suhava' — holy relics of Dasam Pita Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj and Khalsa Mata Sahib Kaur Ji — and that the family is now working to place them in a permanent home at Takht Sri Harmandir Ji, Patna Sahib.

Context

During his ongoing bilateral visit to New Zealand, PM Modi addressed members of the Indian diaspora in Auckland, where he spoke warmly of Sikh traditions, recalled his personal visit to Takht Sri Harmandir Ji, Patna Sahib, and expressed reverence for the Jore Sahib 'Charan Suhava'. The address drew an effusive response from Minister Puri, who took to X to amplify the PM's remarks and add a personal dimension rooted in his family's centuries-old custodianship of those very relics.

Puri wrote that his family was 'immensely blessed to perform the seva of the holy Jore Sahib ever since Guru Sahib and Mata Ji themselves bestowed these sacred relics upon our ancestors over 300 years ago.' He added that when the family resolved to place the relics in a permanent home open to the Sikh Sangat and devotees of all faiths, they were guided by the vision of PM Modi, who 'took a deep personal interest in ensuring a befitting arrangement.'

Policy Backdrop

PM Modi's record on Sikh heritage outreach spans both terms in office. The Sri Kartarpur Sahib Corridor was opened in November 2019 as a visa-free pilgrimage link connecting Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan with Dera Baba Nanak in India — a long-standing demand of the Sikh community. The same year saw national commemorations for the 550th Parkash Purab of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji.

Subsequent initiatives included the befitting celebration of the 350th Parkash Purab of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the 400th Parkash Purab of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, removal of GST from Langar Seva, FCRA approvals enabling overseas donations to Gurdwaras, improved connectivity to Sikh pilgrimage sites, and the declaration of 26 December as Veer Baal Diwas to honour the martyrdom of Guru Gobind Singh Ji's sons. Puri also recalled that in 2021, when he was serving in the Union Cabinet, PM Modi personally ensured the safe passage of the sacred Swaroops of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji and an accompanying Sikh delegation from Kabul to Delhi amid the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.

Stakeholders and Impact

The remarks carry significance for the Sikh diaspora in New Zealand and globally, as they frame India's foreign engagements through the lens of cultural and religious affinity. For the domestic Sikh community, the proposed permanent installation of the Jore Sahib 'Charan Suhava' at Patna Sahib — the birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh Ji — would represent a historic moment in the preservation of Sikh heritage.

A committee of eminent members of the Sikh Sangat, according to Puri, has already met the Prime Minister to present recommendations on the safekeeping and display of the relics at the sacred site. The move is expected to deepen the connection between the government and Sikh institutions, with pilgrims and devotees of all faiths potentially gaining access to the relics for the first time.

What's Next

The final decision on housing the Puri family relics at Takht Sri Harmandir Ji, Patna Sahib is awaited, along with any formal announcement from the Sikh Sangat committee that met the Prime Minister. PM Modi's New Zealand visit, described by Puri as 'historic,' is also expected to yield diplomatic outcomes beyond the community address. The Auckland remarks are likely to reverberate among Sikh communities across New Zealand, Canada, the United Kingdom, and other diaspora hubs, reinforcing a pattern of cultural diplomacy that the BJP-led government has cultivated over more than a decade.