Buddhist Cultural Bloc Geopolitical Alliance ©RohitSinghNegi
Beyond Concrete and Steel: How the BRI is Forging a New Buddhist Bloc Through Ancient Sites By Rohit Singh Negi / Reshmi Nair Buddhist Bloc Diplomacy isn't just about temples and tourism. In Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Mongolia, Japan, and South Korea, it's reviving ancient sites and forging alliances through shared heritage. Culture is the new soft power—written in pilgrimage routes, not just treaties. We often talk about The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in terms of ports, pipelines, and power plants. But if you look closer—specifically at Pakistan, Nepal and the newest frontier - Bhutan—you’ll see something far more subtle and powerful. A "Buddhist Bloc" is quietly taking shape. And it’s not being built with military alliances. It’s being forged through shared heritage, pilgrimage routes, and the restoration of ancient stupas. I’ve watched these initiatives unfold, and the pattern is unmistakable. Culture is becoming...
