India now has a total of 44 UNESCO World Heritage Sites (as of 2026), comprising 36 cultural, 7 natural, and 1 mixed site. This includes recent additions such as the Maratha Military Landscapes and Moidams of Assam.
World Heritage Day is observed every year on April 18, and in 2026 the theme is “Emergency Response for Living Heritage in Contexts of Conflicts and Disasters”. It emphasizes the urgent need to safeguard monuments, traditions, and ecosystems threatened by wars, natural calamities, and neglect.
List of Indian World Heritage Sites (2026)
🏛 Cultural Sites (36)
- Agra Fort (Uttar Pradesh)
- Ajanta Caves (Maharashtra)
- Ellora Caves (Maharashtra)
- Taj Mahal (Uttar Pradesh)
- Sun Temple, Konark (Odisha)
- Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram (Tamil Nadu)
- Kaziranga Moidams (Assam – new addition)
- Maratha Military Landscapes (Maharashtra – new addition)
- Churches and Convents of Goa (Goa)
- Fatehpur Sikri (Uttar Pradesh)
- Group of Monuments at Hampi (Karnataka)
- Khajuraho Group of Monuments (Madhya Pradesh)
- Elephanta Caves (Maharashtra)
- Great Living Chola Temples (Tamil Nadu)
- Group of Monuments at Pattadakal (Karnataka)
- Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi (Madhya Pradesh)
- Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi
- Qutub Minar and Monuments, Delhi
- Mountain Railways of India (Darjeeling, Nilgiri, Kalka–Shimla)
- Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya (Bihar)
- Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka (Madhya Pradesh)
- Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park (Gujarat)
- Red Fort Complex, Delhi
- Jantar Mantar, Jaipur (Rajasthan)
- Western Ghats Cultural Landscapes (Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra)
- Hill Forts of Rajasthan (Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Ranthambore, Amber, Jaisalmer, Gagron)
- Rani-ki-Vav (Queen’s Stepwell, Gujarat)
- Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara (Bihar)
- Khangchendzonga National Park (Mixed site, Sikkim)
- Historic City of Ahmedabad (Gujarat)
- Victorian Gothic & Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai (Maharashtra)
- Jaipur City (Rajasthan)
- Dholavira: Harappan City (Gujarat)
- Ramappa Temple (Telangana)
- Santiniketan (West Bengal)
- Sacred Ensembles of Hoysalas (Karnataka)
🌿 Natural Sites (7)
- Kaziranga National Park (Assam)
- Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (Assam)
- Sundarbans National Park (West Bengal)
- Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks (Uttarakhand)
- Western Ghats (Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra)
- Great Himalayan National Park (Himachal Pradesh)
- Khangchendzonga National Park (Sikkim – also mixed)
🌀 Mixed Site (1)
- Khangchendzonga National Park (Sikkim) – recognized for both cultural and natural significance.
✨ Key Takeaways
- Total Sites (2026): 44 → 36 Cultural, 7 Natural, 1 Mixed.
- New Additions: Maratha Military Landscapes (Maharashtra) and Moidams of Assam.
- India ranks 6th globally in number of World Heritage Sites.
