Island nation Taiwan, which has a sizeable population of Indian expatriates, has inaugurated its first Hindu temple in the capital city of Taipei.The temple, named Sabka Mandir, was constructed with the assistance of Indian immigrant Andy Singh Arya, who is a restaurateur in Taipei.Taiwan now houses a Hindu temple🛕. The first-ever Hindu temple was inaugurated in Taipei today. (This is the result of the efforts of an Indian resident who has been living in Taiwan for nearly two decades)🙏🏽 🕉️ pic.twitter.com/tJMfKrP0CG— Sana Hashmi | 胡莎娜 (@sanahashmi1) August 26, 2023A post on a social media platform captured Aryas delight as his long-held vision materialised in the newly opened temple. He wrote, “23 years ago, I was looking for a Hindu temple in Taiwan when I was alone and on dark nights with no hope. I didnt know Bhagwan [God] would choose me to be a sevak [servant] of the first Indian temple in Taiwan (Sabka Mandir). 2023 is a remarkable year for the first Indian temple in Taiwan. Sevak Andy just brought the stares but the wall is a community that supported this to happen.”Accompanying the post were numerous photos and videos showing members of the Indian community in Taiwan taking a tour of the temple.Hindu temple in Taiwan show strong ties with India despite no formal tiesDespite the absence of formal diplomatic relations between Taiwan and India, the two governments maintain unofficial ties. In 1995, representative offices were established in each others capitals, with the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in India (TECC) representing ROC (Taiwan) in New Delhi, and the India-Taipei Association (ITA) representing India in Taipei.Over time, cultural exchanges between the two nations have seen a significant rise. Notably, Taiwan films are annually screened at major Indian film festivals, and performing arts groups from Taiwan have been warmly received by Indian audiences. As per media reports, the small country is home to almost 5,000 Indian citizens and has more than 50 restaurants serving Indian cuisine.Taiwans Foreign Minister Jaushieh Joseph Wu recently expressed a desire to expand ties with India, highlighting that a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries would be a substantial incentive for Taiwanese businesses to establish manufacturing bases in India. Wu conveyed that Taipei has suggested to New Delhi that the time has come to initiate FTA negotiations.“Our trade relations have been picking up steam. The Taiwanese investors are hungry for India, and the semiconductor cooperation between Taiwan and India is being blessed by the top leadership of the two countries,” Wu said.
