Cultural ties between Iran and India extend back to at least the second millennium BCE. These interactions reached their peak during the 10th and 11th centuries AH, leaving abundant evidence of the influence of Iranian art—particularly miniature painting and architecture—on Indian artistic traditions. While many scholars have acknowledged this influence, the reverse relationship—namely, the impact of Indian architecture on Iranian architecture—has received far less attention. This study seeks to address this gap by examining how Indian architectural elements were adopted in Iran. The guiding question is: In what ways did Indian architecture influence Iranian architecture? The theoretical framework rests on the premise that cultural exchanges between two ancient civilizations are typically mutual, making it reasonable to expect that Iranian architecture also absorbed certain Indian features, at least in specific contexts. The research follows an interpretive-historical approach, treating Indian architecture as the independent variable and Iranian architecture as the dependent variable. The scope includes buildings that appear to have incorporated elements or decorative motifs inspired by India. Findings reveal clear and undeniable cases of Indian architectural influence, largely due to extensive cultural interactions. One notable example is the Naderi Complex in Khorasan, commissioned by Nader Shah. Additionally, some Indian architectural features were adopted in Iranian architecture during the Qajar period.
Soltanzadeh et al. (Mon,) studied this question.