India’s 7 Sites Added to UNESCO’s Tentative World Heritage List 2025, Total Rises to 69.

In September 2025, the Permanent Delegation of India to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) announced the inclusion of 7 new Indian sites in the Tentative List of UNESCO’s World Heritage Convention under the ‘Natural Category’. With this, India’s total entries have risen to 69 sites, strengthening its cultural and natural heritage representation globally.

      - The first newly added site is the Deccan Traps at Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra, which represents unique volcanic rock formations of international geological value.

      - The second site is the Geological Heritage of St. Mary’s Island Cluster in Udupi, Karnataka, known for its hexagonal basaltic rock formations dating back millions of years.

      - The third inclusion is the Meghalaya Age Caves in East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya, a significant speleological site showcasing biodiversity, paleoclimatic records, and underground ecosystems.

Main Point :-   (i) The fourth is the Naga Hill Ophiolite in Kiphire, Nagaland, which provides insights into earth’s tectonic history, being part of ancient oceanic crust and mantle sequences.

      (ii) The fifth group includes three distinct natural sites: Natural Heritage of Erra Matti Dibbalu (Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh), Tirumala Hills (Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh), and Varkala (Kerala), representing coastal red sand dunes, sacred biodiversity-rich landscapes, and unique cliff formations respectively.

(iii) As per UNESCO rules, any site aspiring for World Heritage List (WHL) status must first be on the Tentative List. India’s distribution now stands at 49 Cultural sites, 3 Mixed sites, and 17 Natural sites.
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