<h1>Shared Buddhist heritage strengthens India's ties with ASEAN via cultural diplomacy, relic expositions, tourism cooperation and capacity building.</h1> Shared Buddhist heritage is central to India's Act East Policy engagement with ASEAN, operationalised through relic expositions abroad, regular exchanges of monks, pilgrims and tourism professionals, Mekong Ganga Cooperation travel programmes, capacity building at academic institutions, participation of state governments and missions in international tourism promotion, and support for ASEAN cultural-heritage initiatives such as a feasibility study for an ASEAN Cultural Heritage List.