The Chief Minister's Office of Maharashtra shared on Sunday, 7 June 2026 that a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj — revered across Maharashtra as the state's presiding deity and founding Maratha warrior-king — has been installed in Israel, tagging Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in the post.

Context

The post, written in Marathi, states: 'इस्रायलमध्ये महाराष्ट्राचे आराध्य दैवत छत्रपती शिवाजी महाराज यांचा पुतळा' — 'A statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the revered deity of Maharashtra, in Israel.' The image accompanying the post shows the statue. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was directly tagged, signalling the state government's acknowledgement of the development.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the 17th-century founder of the Maratha Empire, is the most prominent cultural and political symbol of Maharashtra. His legacy underpins the state's identity and is invoked across party lines in its public life.

Policy Backdrop

India and Israel established full diplomatic relations in 1992, since when bilateral ties have grown to encompass defence technology, agriculture, water management, and people-to-people exchanges. State governments have increasingly used this framework to pursue cultural diplomacy alongside national-level engagement.

During his earlier tenures as Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis has publicly supported efforts to highlight Marathi historical icons at international forums. The installation of a Shivaji Maharaj statue in a foreign country fits within a broader pattern of Indian states erecting statues of regional historical figures abroad as a form of soft power and cultural outreach.

Stakeholders and Impact

The Marathi diaspora and cultural organisations globally are the primary stakeholders in such cultural diplomacy efforts. For the Marathi community in and around Israel, the statue represents a tangible connection to Maharashtra's heritage on foreign soil.

The move also reinforces the symbolic dimension of India-Israel ties, complementing the well-documented cooperation in agriculture and defence with a people-to-people cultural layer. State-level cultural gestures of this kind often carry significance beyond their immediate symbolic value, signalling the depth of bilateral goodwill.

What's Next

The tagging of CM Fadnavis suggests the Maharashtra government may follow up with a formal statement or a state-level delegation visit to Israel. Cultural and agricultural collaboration projects between Maharashtra and Israeli institutions remain an area to watch. Further details on the statue's precise location and any formal unveiling ceremony are awaited from official channels.