The sacred relics of the Buddha from the National Museum, New Delhi, are set to be displayed in Russia’s Kalmykia Republic for the first time as part of the 3rd International Buddhist Forum in Elista from September 24–28, 2025. This historic exposition marks the inaugural veneration of the relics in Europe’s only Buddhist republic.
Organized by India’s Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), the event’s centerpiece will be the enshrinement of Shakyamuni’s sacred relics at the Geden Shedrup Choikorling Monastery, Europe’s largest Buddhist monastery. A high-level Indian delegation, led by Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, will accompany the relics, which will be transported with full religious protocol aboard a special Indian Air Force aircraft.
The forum, themed “Buddhism in the New Millennium,” will also serve as a platform for spiritual and academic collaboration. Two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) will be signed, one between the Central Spiritual Administration of Buddhist Russia and the IBC, and another with Nalanda University. The event will host three major exhibitions, showcasing artworks related to the Buddha’s life and the sacred legacy of the Shakyas from ancient Kapilavastu.
Furthermore, the IBC will demonstrate “Norbu – The Kalyana Mitta,” an AI-powered chatbot in Russian designed to teach Buddha Dhamma. This journey to Kalmykia follows recent international tours of the relics to Mongolia, Thailand, and Vietnam, highlighting India’s continued efforts in religious and cultural diplomacy.
