Tehran’s long engagement with Indian thought predates the advent of Islam by centuries, with philosophical works from the subcontinent studied and debated in Iran, according to Abdul Majid Hakeem Ilahi, a representative of the Supreme Leader of Iran. His remarks, delivered at a cultural and academic gathering, cast the modern diplomatic relationship between Tehran and India as the continuation of a far older civilisational exchange rooted in scholarship, trade and shared intellectual curiosity.Ilahi said historical records show that philosophical and metaphysical texts originating in India were examined in Iranian centres of learning long before Islamic scholarship took hold across Persia. He described these exchanges as evidence of a sustained intellectual dialogue rather than sporadic contact, noting that scholars and travellers carried ideas alongside goods across ancient routes linking South Asia with the Iranian plateau. According to him, these interactions influenced schools of thought in ethics, metaphysics and logic that later blended with Islamic philosophy as it developed in the region.
The comments come at a time when cultural diplomacy has gained renewed emphasis in Iran’s outreach to Asian partners. Officials and academics have increasingly highlighted non-Western intellectual histories to underscore shared heritage and counter narratives that frame cross-regional ties as solely modern or transactional. By invoking pre-Islamic scholarly engagement with Indian philosophy, Ilahi positioned Iran-India relations within a broader historical arc that extends well beyond contemporary geopolitics.
Historians point to multiple channels through which such exchanges could have taken place. Maritime trade across the Arabian Sea and overland routes through Central Asia facilitated the movement of merchants, monks and scholars. Sanskrit texts on astronomy, mathematics and philosophy are believed to have circulated widely, with some concepts entering Persian intellectual life through translation and commentary. Over time, these ideas were reinterpreted within local traditions, contributing to a hybrid intellectual environment.
Ilahi’s remarks also touched on the continuity of scholarly curiosity across eras. He noted that even after the spread of Islam, Iranian scholars showed sustained interest in Indian sciences and philosophy, translating works and engaging with concepts that complemented Islamic thought. This, he said, demonstrated an openness that allowed Iranian scholarship to absorb and adapt external influences while maintaining its own intellectual foundations.
The emphasis on philosophical exchange aligns with broader academic research highlighting the cosmopolitan nature of learning in the ancient and medieval worlds. Centres of knowledge in Persia often drew from Greek, Indian and later Arab sources, creating a dynamic environment of debate and synthesis. Indian contributions in areas such as logic, numeracy and metaphysics are widely acknowledged by historians as part of this wider exchange network.
Cultural analysts see such statements as part of a wider effort to deepen people-to-people ties between Iran and India through education, literature and the arts. Academic collaborations, language studies and cultural festivals have been promoted as ways to revive awareness of shared intellectual heritage. By framing the relationship as one grounded in centuries of mutual learning, Iranian officials aim to add depth to contemporary cooperation in areas ranging from culture to regional connectivity.
The remarks were also interpreted as a signal to scholars and institutions to invest further in comparative studies. Experts argue that renewed examination of ancient texts, translations and commentaries could shed light on how ideas travelled and transformed across regions. Such research, they say, would not only enrich historical understanding but also inform modern discussions on cultural pluralism and intellectual exchange.