New Delhi: The Permanent Delegation of India to UNESCO, Paris, has announced that three Indian sites have been added to the Tentative List of World Heritage sites announced by the world body. The announcement on Tuesday (October 20) relates to the Karst-mud-volcano Complex of Baratang and the Andaman Subduction Volcanoes, both on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and the Chhattisgarh-based Sirpur Cultural and Archaeological Landscape.Being added to the Tentative List is a preliminary step before a site can be nominated for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List. India has 45 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, 37 cultural, 7 natural and 1 mixed.According to UNESCO’s official description, the 299.57 sq km Baratang, on the Great Andaman main chain, includes several limestone caves and active mud volcanoes. The proposed portion of the limestone cave system is a one sq km area, “’Jalki’ as called by the local people, are a significant example of seismically triggered mud volcanism”. It notes:The Baratang Limestone Caves are embedded within a biologically diverse landscape of tropical forests and coastal ecosystems, making them vital not only for their geological attributes but also for their contribution to regional biodiversity.UNESCO notes that eco-tourism near this “remarkable natural heritage” both fosters economic opportunities and promotes environmental conservation. The Geological Survey of India identified the Mud Volcano of Baratang as a Geo-Heritage Site in 2025.The Andaman Subduction Volcanoes are located on Barren Island, around 138 kilometres from the capital, Sri Vijayapuram, in the Andaman Sea and on Narcondam Island, about 240 km away from the capital. The landmasses of two both volcanoes are proposed for listing on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites List. It was uninhabited by humans until a small police check post with about 20 personnel was established in 1968, UNESCO notes.The name ‘Narcondam’, says UNESCO, was derived from ‘Naraka-Kundam’, ‘a pit of hell’. The volcano rises abruptly out of deep water to a height of 710 m above sea level. “The densely forested main summit lies in the western portion of the island, with steep drops on all sides, and is fringed by a rocky coast and caverns,” it notes.Both islands are currently protected areas where permission from wildlife wardens is required before entering.Sirpur Village, in the Mahasamund district of Chhattisgarh, is also already a nationally protected monument along the Mahanadi River, located 78 kilometres from the state capital Raipur. UNESCO writes about the location:By engaging in a policy of multi-religious patronage and commercial activities, the growth of Sirpur town expanded from a spiritual centre alone, to a cultural and economic melting pot. Thus, the site is a layered, complex and interconnected system of archaeological and architectural remains of this unique natural, multi-religious and mercantile nature of ancient India.The current boundaries of the property has structures built between the 5th to 12th century CE. The eastern edge has a Vishnu temple complex with a school and a Shiva Temple. The southern edge has three standalone sites including two houses of priests and a Shiva Temple.The western edge contains the Rajmahal Complex and the Gandheshwar Temple, while the structure in the northern edge is apancharatha Shiva temple. The Bateshwar Group of monuments is located within the centre of the area, says UNESCO.