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July 21, 2026India Quarterly A Journal of International Affairs

Beyond Soft Power: Dharma, Civilisational Memory and India’s Buddhist Engagement with Southeast Asia

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Authors

APAlok PriyadarshiRSRipu Sudan Singh

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Overview

This article explores India's cultural relations through civilisational memory, highlighting its Buddhist diplomacy in Southeast Asia.

Key Points

  • This article examines India's cultural engagement with Southeast Asia through the lens of civilisational memory instead of soft power.
  • Analyzes India’s archaeological restoration of the Ta Prohm temple complex in Cambodia as a case study.
  • Explores the revival of Nalanda University with ASEAN support as a second case study.
  • Employs cultural memory theory and concepts from Assmann, Pollock, Mignolo, Quijano, and Ndlovu-Gatsheni.
  • Introduces the concept of Dharma Setu as a non-competitive mode of cultural engagement.
  • Demonstrates that cultural relations are based on shared civilisational memory rather than strategic soft power.
  • Argues for a theoretical framework grounded in Global South traditions to enrich international relations discourse.

Cite This Study

Priyadarshi et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a5f0bea86a4235cc1619818https://doi.org/10.1177/09749284261463050
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