What the World’s Largest Hindu Temple Says About India’s Global Dominance

When the BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham temple was inaugurated in Robbinsville, New Jersey, in 2023, the world took notice. Spread across 183 acres, built from Italian marble and Indian sandstone, and shaped by the hands of hundreds of artisans from India alongside 12,000 volunteers, the temple instantly became the largest Hindu temple outside India and the second-largest in the world after Angkor Wat.

But this temple is more than stone and sculpture. It is a statement of India’s global presence-a mirror of its ancient civilizational reach, its growing cultural confidence, and its rising place in global geopolitics.

Historian William Dalrymple argues that India’s rise today is not new-it is a return to form. Between 250 BCE and 1200 CE, India was the cultural and economic heart of Asia.

• It was the principal trading partner of the Roman Empire, outshining China in global commerce.
• Its goods-pepper, silk, ivory; were treasured across continents.
• Its religions, languages, and scripts spread across Southeast Asia, shaping societies from Cambodia to Japan.

Dalrymple puts it bluntly:

“This is not about the Indian century-it’s about the Indian millennium.”

Akshardham, in this sense, is a modern echo of an ancient truth: India has always been a civilizational force.

Temples have long been symbols of India’s influence abroad. Just as Angkor Wat in Cambodia and Borobudur in Indonesia were shaped by Indian ideas centuries ago, the Akshardham in New Jersey is a contemporary continuation of that civilizational outreach.

• The Pallava script of South India evolved into early Thai and Khmer scripts-evidence of linguistic influence.
• The Ramayana and Mahabharata, depicted in Angkor Wat’s carvings, traveled with pilgrims, traders, and scholars.
• Today, Akshardham carries forward this role-standing as a cultural embassy of Indian civilization in the heart of America.

These structures show that India’s influence spreads not by conquest, but by culture.

Unlike empires that imposed their power through armies, India’s influence has always been through ideas, attraction, and inspiration.

• Spiritual Heritage: The birthplace of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. Its philosophies of nonviolence, unity, and inner peace resonate globally.
• Yoga Diplomacy: The UN’s recognition of International Yoga Day has made yoga a unifying global practice.
• Festivals Abroad: Diwali lights up Times Square in New York, Holi colors the streets of London, Navratri brings garba to Toronto.
• Cinema & Music: Bollywood shapes cultural imagination from Cairo to Lagos, while Indian classical music and dance are studied in conservatories worldwide.
• Cuisine: From curry houses in London to Michelin-starred Indian restaurants in New York, food is perhaps India’s most universal cultural export.

India’s soft power rests on pluralism, not uniformity, making it inherently inclusive and appealing.

With over 32 million Indians abroad, the diaspora is India’s most powerful cultural ambassador.

• They fund temples, schools, and cultural centers that preserve and project Indian traditions.
• They lead in politics, academia, and business, advocating for stronger India ties.
• Akshardham itself, built by the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, is a diaspora-led project that reflects cultural continuity and global ambition.

In many ways, the diaspora turns temples into tools of diplomacy, shaping perceptions and policies toward India.

India’s rise comes at a moment of geopolitical competition. Unlike the West, which exports liberal democracy, or China, which promotes authoritarian capitalism, India offers something unique:

• A civilizational model rooted in diversity and dialogue.
• A legacy of Buddhist diplomacy—sending relics abroad to deepen spiritual ties.
• Mega-events like the Mahakumbh festival, the world’s largest gathering, symbolizing living traditions that rival any global spectacle.

Akshardham fits this narrative: it projects cultural power as strategy-an identity that strengthens India’s case for leadership in forums like the UN Security Council.

India’s influence has always flowed through education and ideas. Ancient universities like Nalanda and Takshashila once attracted scholars from across Asia. Today, initiatives like ITEC and cultural exchange programs train global professionals and scholars in India.


Modern universities, think tanks, and spiritual institutions are once again making India a knowledge hub, positioning it as not only a market but a source of wisdom.

The Akshardham temple in New Jersey is not just a Hindu shrine—it is a symbol of India’s global story:

• A continuity of influence from ancient trade routes to modern diaspora networks.
• A display of craftsmanship that rivals historical wonders.
• A projection of soft power that makes India attractive rather than imposing.
• A mirror of confidence—that India is ready to lead not just with its economy or military, but with its civilizational soul.

The world’s largest Hindu temple in New Jersey is not just a place of worship; it is a cultural milestone that mirrors India’s global rise. Built with over 2 million cubic feet of stone and supported by more than 12,500 volunteers, it stands as a reminder of how deeply rooted Indian traditions have become in the global landscape. With a diaspora of 32 million shaping economies and politics worldwide, yoga now valued at over $80 billion, and Ayurveda crossing $10 billion in market size, India’s soft power is no longer peripheral — it is central to global culture. Unlike empires that expanded through force, India’s influence expands through celebration: Diwali in Times Square, Holi in London, and temples in New Jersey. The message is unmistakable — India’s rise is not just measured in GDP or geopolitics, but in the way its civilization quietly reshapes how the world prays, heals, and finds meaning.