Buddhist Circuit in the NE India: A New window for India’s Act East Policy ?
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Dr Anuradha Oinam
On February 1, 2026, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman in a milestone move, announced the scheme for a new Buddhist Circuit for the Six North Eastern States in the Union Budget 2026-27. This newly proposed circuit is an extension of the already existing Buddhist Circuit (that runs through Bodh Gaya, Vaisali, Rajgir in Bihar, Samath in Varanasi, and Shravasti and Kushinagar in UP) in India. This move will make a good network of Buddhist pilgrimage sites across the North Eastern States viz Arunachal Pra-desh, Assam, Manipur, Mi- zoram, Sikkim, and Tripura. If implemented, it has an immense potential of connecting South Asia’s Bu- ddhist travel network with the Southeast Asia (SEA) via India’s North East, enhancing not only religious tourism in the region, but also further bolstering India’s Act East Policy (AEP) with SEA and beyond.
North East Region (NER) and its Geo-Strategic Significance
The NER is strategically imperative because of its border with China and its spatial international geopolitical location. Its inter- national border is shared with both South Asian countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan, and Southeast Asian countries such as Myanmar. The region shares an international border of 5,182 km long with these countries.
Interestingly, the region shares several cultural resemblances with the people of SEA in terms of similar food habits and resemblance in language. Tai community in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam speak a language similarly spoken in Thailand and Laos. Thereby, people of NER of India have distinct ethnic and cultural identities, which are comparable with people of SEA. In addition, the region has strong ties in terms of its history and culture with the same. Above all, many communities are trans-border in nature and live across the borders.
These trans-Himalayan communities, which have similar racial kinship, are also prominent in various parts of South and SEA. This gradually helps in attributing the cultural assimi- lation in terms of food habits, culture, language, fea- tures and lifestyles, which further strengthen the cultural bonding between these communities beyond their political borders. People-to-people connectivity can also be reinforced by strengthening the bonding between NE people and the people of SEA. Given the similarity, the Deputy Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, in an event while celebrating the 25th anniversary of the ASEAN- India Dialogue Partnership in Laos’s capital Vientiane in 2017, stated, “cultural similarity between the people of ASEAN countries and North East India should become the fulcrum of our friendship and the bedrock of all our policies both-diplomatic and economic”.
At the economic and strategic front, India gradually has put its efforts to build its strategic partners, improving its economic ties at bilateral or multilateral platforms with countries such as Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Japan, Republic of Korea (ROK), Australia, Singapore and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). It also stives to boost its economy, and cultural ties by engaging constantly at various regional forums such as ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), East Asia Summit (EAS), Bay of Bengal for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD), Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) and Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and so on. Therefore, the development of the NER is essential in terms of building connectivity, accessible market and utilizing the tourism po-tentials including Buddhist pilgrims would buttress India’s ties with East and SEA.
North East India as a Hotspot for Buddhist Pilgrims from SEA and Beyond
The NER has the potential for religious tourism, especially to attract Buddhist pilgrims from the East and SEA. The presence of Tawang Monastery in Arunachal Pradesh, the second largest monastery after the Lhasa Monastery, Tibet, in the world, could be a major asset in this regard. The Monastery is called ‘the Famous Godden Namgyal Lhatse’, which means ‘the peak of the heavenly abode of joyfulness and complete victory’. Besides, the place is also the birthplace of the Sixth Dalai Lama, Sangyang Gyatso. In addition, the location is strategically crucial for India because Tawang was the first region China bombed in Arunachal Pradesh in 1962 and the region remained under Chinese control for one month. Since then, China has been keeping an eye on taking over the same by considering Arunachal Pradesh as South Tibet (Zangnan). Therefore, it is much needed for the region to be well-connected with the rest of the country to stop Chinese aggression on the Indian side and occupying Indian territories. Another famous monastery in Arunachal Pradesh is the Bomdila Monastery, also known as ‘Gentse Gaden Rangyel Monastery’, a duplication of the Tibetan Monastery, ‘Tsona Gontse’. Next to Arunachal Pradesh, religious tourism can be promoted in the State of Sikkim. Several monasteries, the historical accounts of Buddhism, and its footprints are embedded in the State. Therefore, building a new Buddhist circuit in the NER can further strengthen India’s relationship with SEA. For instance, festivals such as Sangkem in Arunachal Pradesh, Pi Mia in Lao PDR, and Songkran in Thailand are New Year festivals celebrated simultaneously in April. These festivals are celebrated by throwing water at each other, followed by worshipping Lord Buddha. This exemplifies common religious practices both in India’s NER and SEA. Hence, religious tourism could be one of the critical elements to strengthen India’s Act East Policy with SEA, though few challenges such as visa restrictions and poor connectivity to travel via NER still persist. In an interview, various CSOs at Moreh in 2021 stated that many religious tourists from SEA would like to visit Tawang Monastery and then Sikkim through Moreh, Manipur and later move to the Buddhist Circuit as it is the cheapest route for them. Further, they opined that if the Government comes out with some flexible visa policy, especially for religious tourists, the number of pilgrims in NE will increase progressively.
Assessment
Improving good relations with SEA is critical for India because SEA Nations are leading players in Indo-Pacific, where China overrides the hegemonic power in the region. Hence, India needs support and strategic partners with SEA Nations to balance China’s meticulous expansionist policy. Countries like Japan have shown their interest to enhancing connectivity in India’s NE region and opening more economic corridors across India and SEA. In this vein, extension of the Buddhist Circuit in the NER can further reinforce India’s relation with its East and SEA nations. Additionally, it will promote religious tourism, especially Buddhism, as one of the main pillars of the soft power of India’s AEP that opens more avenues, mainly trade for India with SEA.
Next is by improving India’s relationship with Myanmar by having a specific policy and strategy in the NER by taking into account of people’s pers- pectives. In addition, North East States such as Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim should be granted some flexibility regarding Inner Line Permits (ILP) or visas especially for religious tourists travelling from other parts of India and SEA respectively. Lastly, connecting the NER with the rest of India and the world by developing infrastructure, connectivity (phy- sical and emotional), and other related parameters in the region is essential to encourage religious tourism to connect across the globe.
The writer is Asst Prof in Political Science Department, Imphal College)
On February 1, 2026, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman in a milestone move, announced the scheme for a new Buddhist Circuit for the Six North Eastern States in the Union Budget 2026-27. This newly proposed circuit is an extension of the already existing Buddhist Circuit (that runs through Bodh Gaya, Vaisali, Rajgir in Bihar, Samath in Varanasi, and Shravasti and Kushinagar in UP) in India. This move will make a good network of Buddhist pilgrimage sites across the North Eastern States viz Arunachal Pra-desh, Assam, Manipur, Mi- zoram, Sikkim, and Tripura. If implemented, it has an immense potential of connecting South Asia’s Bu- ddhist travel network with the Southeast Asia (SEA) via India’s North East, enhancing not only religious tourism in the region, but also further bolstering India’s Act East Policy (AEP) with SEA and beyond.
North East Region (NER) and its Geo-Strategic Significance
The NER is strategically imperative because of its border with China and its spatial international geopolitical location. Its inter- national border is shared with both South Asian countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan, and Southeast Asian countries such as Myanmar. The region shares an international border of 5,182 km long with these countries.
Interestingly, the region shares several cultural resemblances with the people of SEA in terms of similar food habits and resemblance in language. Tai community in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam speak a language similarly spoken in Thailand and Laos. Thereby, people of NER of India have distinct ethnic and cultural identities, which are comparable with people of SEA. In addition, the region has strong ties in terms of its history and culture with the same. Above all, many communities are trans-border in nature and live across the borders.
These trans-Himalayan communities, which have similar racial kinship, are also prominent in various parts of South and SEA. This gradually helps in attributing the cultural assimi- lation in terms of food habits, culture, language, fea- tures and lifestyles, which further strengthen the cultural bonding between these communities beyond their political borders. People-to-people connectivity can also be reinforced by strengthening the bonding between NE people and the people of SEA. Given the similarity, the Deputy Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, in an event while celebrating the 25th anniversary of the ASEAN- India Dialogue Partnership in Laos’s capital Vientiane in 2017, stated, “cultural similarity between the people of ASEAN countries and North East India should become the fulcrum of our friendship and the bedrock of all our policies both-diplomatic and economic”.
At the economic and strategic front, India gradually has put its efforts to build its strategic partners, improving its economic ties at bilateral or multilateral platforms with countries such as Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Japan, Republic of Korea (ROK), Australia, Singapore and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). It also stives to boost its economy, and cultural ties by engaging constantly at various regional forums such as ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), East Asia Summit (EAS), Bay of Bengal for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD), Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) and Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and so on. Therefore, the development of the NER is essential in terms of building connectivity, accessible market and utilizing the tourism po-tentials including Buddhist pilgrims would buttress India’s ties with East and SEA.
North East India as a Hotspot for Buddhist Pilgrims from SEA and Beyond
The NER has the potential for religious tourism, especially to attract Buddhist pilgrims from the East and SEA. The presence of Tawang Monastery in Arunachal Pradesh, the second largest monastery after the Lhasa Monastery, Tibet, in the world, could be a major asset in this regard. The Monastery is called ‘the Famous Godden Namgyal Lhatse’, which means ‘the peak of the heavenly abode of joyfulness and complete victory’. Besides, the place is also the birthplace of the Sixth Dalai Lama, Sangyang Gyatso. In addition, the location is strategically crucial for India because Tawang was the first region China bombed in Arunachal Pradesh in 1962 and the region remained under Chinese control for one month. Since then, China has been keeping an eye on taking over the same by considering Arunachal Pradesh as South Tibet (Zangnan). Therefore, it is much needed for the region to be well-connected with the rest of the country to stop Chinese aggression on the Indian side and occupying Indian territories. Another famous monastery in Arunachal Pradesh is the Bomdila Monastery, also known as ‘Gentse Gaden Rangyel Monastery’, a duplication of the Tibetan Monastery, ‘Tsona Gontse’. Next to Arunachal Pradesh, religious tourism can be promoted in the State of Sikkim. Several monasteries, the historical accounts of Buddhism, and its footprints are embedded in the State. Therefore, building a new Buddhist circuit in the NER can further strengthen India’s relationship with SEA. For instance, festivals such as Sangkem in Arunachal Pradesh, Pi Mia in Lao PDR, and Songkran in Thailand are New Year festivals celebrated simultaneously in April. These festivals are celebrated by throwing water at each other, followed by worshipping Lord Buddha. This exemplifies common religious practices both in India’s NER and SEA. Hence, religious tourism could be one of the critical elements to strengthen India’s Act East Policy with SEA, though few challenges such as visa restrictions and poor connectivity to travel via NER still persist. In an interview, various CSOs at Moreh in 2021 stated that many religious tourists from SEA would like to visit Tawang Monastery and then Sikkim through Moreh, Manipur and later move to the Buddhist Circuit as it is the cheapest route for them. Further, they opined that if the Government comes out with some flexible visa policy, especially for religious tourists, the number of pilgrims in NE will increase progressively.
Assessment
Improving good relations with SEA is critical for India because SEA Nations are leading players in Indo-Pacific, where China overrides the hegemonic power in the region. Hence, India needs support and strategic partners with SEA Nations to balance China’s meticulous expansionist policy. Countries like Japan have shown their interest to enhancing connectivity in India’s NE region and opening more economic corridors across India and SEA. In this vein, extension of the Buddhist Circuit in the NER can further reinforce India’s relation with its East and SEA nations. Additionally, it will promote religious tourism, especially Buddhism, as one of the main pillars of the soft power of India’s AEP that opens more avenues, mainly trade for India with SEA.
Next is by improving India’s relationship with Myanmar by having a specific policy and strategy in the NER by taking into account of people’s pers- pectives. In addition, North East States such as Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim should be granted some flexibility regarding Inner Line Permits (ILP) or visas especially for religious tourists travelling from other parts of India and SEA respectively. Lastly, connecting the NER with the rest of India and the world by developing infrastructure, connectivity (phy- sical and emotional), and other related parameters in the region is essential to encourage religious tourism to connect across the globe.
The writer is Asst Prof in Political Science Department, Imphal College)