India, a country already celebrated for its kaleidoscope of cultural and natural wonders, is once again looking to expand its presence on the world stage of heritage. This week, seven new sites, ranging from ancient volcanic plateaus to mystical caves, were officially added to the UNESCO Tentative World Heritage List, the first step toward full recognition.
What’s on the new list?
The fresh additions reflect a mix of geology, ecology, and history that together tell the story of India’s land and people:
- Deccan Traps, Panchgani & Mahabaleshwar (Maharashtra): A dramatic volcanic landscape born millions of years ago, shaping much of peninsular India.
- St. Mary’s Island Cluster (Udupi, Karnataka): Known for its striking columnar basalt formations that rise like sculptures from the sea.
- Meghalayan Age Caves (Meghalaya): Deep caves that hold geological records of the “Meghalayan Age,” a relatively recent chapter in Earth’s history.
- Naga Hill Ophiolite (Nagaland): Rare rocks that were once part of the ocean floor, now pushed up into the hills.
- Erra Matti Dibbalu (Andhra Pradesh): Also called the “Red Sand Dunes,” these fragile coastal formations are as beautiful as they are endangered.
- Tirumala Hills (Andhra Pradesh): A spiritual landscape for millions of pilgrims, but also home to rich biodiversity.
- Varkala Cliffs (Kerala): A stunning stretch of coastal cliffs that blend natural beauty with geological significance.
With these, India’s Tentative List now swells to 69 sites, 17 of which fall under the category of natural heritage.
The Permanent Delegation of India to UNESCO is happy to announce that India's 7 properties have been added to the Tentative List of UNESCO's World Heritage Convention. For details, please see the press release below 👇🏼 @VishalVSharma7 pic.twitter.com/WufBzxmWxn
— India at UNESCO (@IndiaatUNESCO) September 12, 2025
Why does this matter?
Being on UNESCO’s radar is not just about prestige. It’s about protection, awareness, and passing on heritage to the future. A Tentative List is like a waiting room, countries can only nominate sites that appear here. From there, a detailed case is built: documenting their uniqueness, demonstrating conservation plans, and proving their “outstanding universal value.”
For India, which already holds 44 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, adding new names signals a shift. It shows the country isn’t only proud of its ancient temples, forts, and cities, but is also eager to highlight the geological and ecological treasures that often go unnoticed.
India’s heritage portfolio so far
Since 1983, when the Ajanta and Ellora caves, Agra Fort, and the Taj Mahal first made the cut, India has built one of the richest UNESCO collections in the world. Today, it stretches from the Great Living Chola Temples in Tamil Nadu to the Historic City of Ahmedabad, and from the Kaziranga National Park in Assam to the Western Ghats that run like a spine down the west coast.
Just this year, India’s 44th site, the Maratha Military Landscapes was inscribed, recognising a network of forts that once embodied the Maratha empire’s power.
These places aren’t just tourist destinations. They’re living testaments- to history, to faith, to the deep forces of nature that shaped the subcontinent.
The road from Tentative to World Heritage can be long and meticulous. But if even a few of these new proposals succeed, they will further enrich India’s story on the global heritage map.
And for travellers, conservationists, and everyday Indians, it will mean more reasons to look at familiar landscapes with new eyes, not just as backdrops to life, but as irreplaceable chapters in humanity’s shared history.
