The year 2025 was significant for India and the world in UNESCO recognitions, with several new inclusions across different UNESCO programmes. These additions span World Heritage Sites, Tentative List entries, Intangible Cultural Heritage, Memory of the World Register, Creative Cities Network, and Global Geoparks. Together, they highlight the global shift towards recognizing not only monuments, but also living traditions, documentary heritage, geology, and creative cities.
The Category Wise Inclusions of 2025
1. UNESCO World Heritage List (2025)
India
- Maratha Military Landscapes of India
- Inscribed during the 47th World Heritage Committee session (Paris)
- Comprises 12 forts built by the Marathas between the 17th–19th centuries
- Includes Gingee Fort (Tamil Nadu) and forts in Maharashtra such as Raigad, Pratapgad, Shivneri, Sindhudurg
- Recognized for military engineering, strategic landscape use, and historical significance
Global (Non-Indian)
- Khmer Rouge Genocide Sites (Cambodia)
- Tuol Sleng Prison (S-21)
- M-13 Prison
- Choeung Ek Killing Fields
First modern conflict-related heritage from Cambodia, promoting remembrance and peace education
2. UNESCO Tentative List Additions (2025)
- India’s New Additions (Announced September 2025)
- India added 7 new sites, all under the Natural Heritage category, taking the total tentative list to 69 sites.
Newly Added Natural Sites
- Deccan Traps – Panchgani & Mahabaleshwar (Maharashtra)
- St Mary’s Island Basalt Columns (Karnataka)
- Meghalayan Age Caves (Meghalaya)
- Naga Hill Ophiolite (Nagaland)
- Erra Matti Dibbalu (Red Sand Dunes) (Andhra Pradesh)
- Tirumala Hills (Andhra Pradesh)
- Varkala Cliff (Kerala)
These additions highlight India’s focus on geo-heritage, climate history, and ecological conservation.
3. UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) – 2025
India
- Deepavali (Diwali)
- Inscribed in 2025
- Recognized as a living tradition symbolizing light, harmony, and community life
- Celebrated across India and among the Indian diaspora worldwide
- This inclusion strengthened India’s presence in UNESCO’s living heritage framework.
4. UNESCO Memory of the World Register (2025)
India’s New Inscriptions
- Bhagavad Gita Manuscripts
- Natyashastra by Bharat Muni
Significance
- India’s total entries increased to 14
- Recognizes India’s philosophical, spiritual, and artistic intellectual heritage
- Emphasizes preservation of documentary heritage for future generations
5. UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) – 2025
India
- Lucknow – City of Gastronomy
- Recognised for Awadhi cuisine and Ganga-Jamuni cultural traditions
- Becomes India’s second City of Gastronomy after Hyderabad
Global Highlights (2025)
- 58 new cities added worldwide
- Architecture introduced as a new creative field for the first time
- Network expanded to 408 cities across 100+ countries
6. UNESCO Global Geoparks (2025)
Global Update
- 16 new UNESCO Global Geoparks added
- Total now 229 geoparks in 50 countries
- Covers volcanic regions, fossil sites, mountain systems, and ancient landscapes
India
- No Global Geopark yet, but sites like Erra Matti Dibbalu and Deccan Traps show future potential
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