Faith takes flight: IAF carries Buddha relics to Mongolia for Historic exposition

In a significant gesture of cultural diplomacy and civilisational outreach, India on Saturday transported the sacred relics of Lord Buddha’s chief disciples, Arahant Sariputta and Arahant Mahamoggallana, to Mongolia aboard an Indian Air Force IL-76 ‘Gajraj’ aircraft for a special public exposition scheduled to begin on Buddha Purnima.

The revered relics, preserved at the historic Sanchi Stupa in Madhya Pradesh, arrived in Mongolia’s capital Ulaanbaatar accompanied by a high-level Indian delegation. They will be displayed at the Gandan Tegchenling Monastery from May 31 to June 10, allowing devotees and visitors to pay homage to two of Buddhism’s most venerated figures.

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Describing the mission as more than a routine airlift operation, the Indian Air Force said the aircraft carried a message of faith and friendship across borders.

“The Indian Air Force IL-76 (Gajraj) became a symbol of cultural diplomacy and India’s enduring civilisational outreach, airlifting the sacred relics of Lord Buddha from Delhi to Mongolia on 30 May 26,” the IAF posted on X.

“Revered across the Buddhist world as symbols of wisdom, compassion and enlightenment, the holy relics carry deep significance for Mongolia. Their exposition further strengthens the centuries-old spiritual bond between India and Mongolia — nations connected through the shared legacy of Buddhism. For the Indian Air Force, this mission carried not just priceless relics, but faith, heritage and friendship across continents,” it added.

The exposition is expected to attract more than one million devotees, monks and tourists from across Mongolia, highlighting the deep Buddhist connections shared by the two countries.

The initiative stems from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to further strengthen cultural and spiritual relations between India and Mongolia. During Mongolian President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa’s visit to India in October 2025, Modi had announced that the sacred relics would be sent to Mongolia.

“The relationship between India and Mongolia is not merely diplomatic, it is a bond of warmth and spirituality,” Modi had said. “For centuries, both countries have been bound by the thread of Buddhism, which has led to us being called spiritual siblings.”

Announcing the initiative at the time, the Prime Minister had stated, “I am pleased to announce that next year, the holy relics of two great disciples of Lord Buddha, Sariputra and Maudgalyayana, will be sent from India to Mongolia.”

According to the Indian Embassy in Mongolia, the exposition offers an important opportunity for Mongolian Buddhists to connect with a significant part of Buddhist heritage.

“India and Mongolia are strategic partners and spiritual siblings with deep civilization linkages due to Buddhism. In this context, the exposition is a good opportunity for the followers of Buddhism in Mongolia to pay their tributes to the relics of Lord Buddha’s two chief disciples,” the embassy said.

The relics are being brought to Mongolia through a collaborative effort involving the National Museum of India, the Mahabodhi Society of Sri Lanka and the Government of Madhya Pradesh, following a request from the Gandan Tegchenling Monastery.

The relics of Arahant Sariputta and Arahant Mahamoggallana hold exceptional significance in Buddhist tradition. Both disciples played a pivotal role in preserving and spreading the Buddha’s teachings and are revered throughout the Buddhist world for their wisdom, spiritual attainment and dedication to the Dhamma.

The current exposition is particularly noteworthy as these relics have previously travelled abroad only once, during a landmark exhibition in Thailand in 2024. It also follows the successful display of sacred Buddha relics in Mongolia in 2022, which drew thousands of devotees and reinforced cultural exchanges between the two nations.

Located in Madhya Pradesh’s Raisen district, the Sanchi Stupa complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1989, remains one of Buddhism’s most important pilgrimage centres and a symbol of India’s rich spiritual heritage.