New Delhi: Hundreds of Dalai Lama followers gathered outside Delhi airport on Wednesday to welcome the Tibetan spiritual leader who arrived in the national capital.

Dalai Lama reached Delhi today to take part in the Global Buddhism Summit to be held here on Thursday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also address the inaugural session of the Global Buddhist Summit, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) informed through a release on Tuesday.

The PM's address is scheduled at 10 am at Hotel Ashok in Delhi.

The two-day summit is being hosted by the Union Ministry of Culture in collaboration with International Buddhist Confederation on April 20-21. The theme for the summit is 'Responses to Contemporary Challenges: Philosophy to Praxis'.

"The summit is an effort towards engaging the global Buddhist Dhamma leadership and scholars on matters of Buddhist and universal concerns, and to come up with policy inputs to address them collectively. The discussion at the summit will explore how the Buddha Dhamma's fundamental values can provide inspiration and guidance in contemporary settings," read the release.

Officials at the PMO said the summit will witness the participation of eminent scholars, sangha leaders and dharma practitioners from all over the world. They will discuss pressing global issues and look for answers in the Buddha Dhamma that are based on universal values.

"The discussions will be held under four themes -- Buddha Dhamma and Peace; Buddha Dhamma: Environmental Crisis, Health and Sustainability; Preservation of Nalanda Buddhist Tradition; Buddha Dhamma Pilgrimage, Living Heritage and Buddha Relics: a resilient foundation to India's centuries-old cultural links to countries in South, South-East and East Asia," the release stated further.

India's role as the host of the upcoming summit will highlight its longstanding ties with neighbouring nations like Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka, which are deeply connected to the Buddhist tradition, as per the news report. As India opens its doors to thinkers and Buddhist religious leaders from around the world, New Delhi reinforces its commitment to fostering peace and harmony in the region.

The conference will have 180 participants from 30 countries around the world. Participants will also come from as far away as Mexico and Brazil. After the summit, a report containing the discussion outcomes will be released.