A collaborative mission between Vietnamese and Indonesian archaeologists has identified a 9th-century brick temple in Ninh Thuan province with clear Shailendra dynasty architectural influences. The temple is unique for its exterior reliefs depicting Indonesian-style merchant vessels, indicating a strong maritime religious exchange between the Java-based empire and the Champa kingdom.
The find suggests that the Shailendra influence, famous for Borobudur, extended much further into the mainland of Southeast Asia than previously thought. The site is being hailed as a major discovery for understanding the spread of Mahayana Buddhism via the 'Maritime Silk Road' during the early medieval period.