The current presence of Hindu religious communities in Switzerland and Austria is the result of various, often politicized migration trajectories spanning the last 50 years. This paper analyses the religion politics and legal frameworks shaping Hindu religious communities in Switzerland and Austria, with a focus on the evolving processes of centralized representation within these communities. Austria adopts a national approach to religion, providing a legal framework for the official recognition of diverse religious groups, including Hindus, under Federal Law. This legal structure prompted Hindu religious communities in Austria to form a centrally organized representative body as early as the 1990s, uniting diverse currents, traditions, and temples under one umbrella - an organisational form does not have an equivalent in the various countries of origin. In contrast, Switzerland's system limits legal recognition to a few religions at the cantonal level. Nevertheless, recent trends among Hindu communities in Switzerland reveal increasing efforts toward centralized self-administration, though these efforts are not necessarily tied to aspirations for legal recognition. Instead, recent research indicates that Hindu religious communities prioritize practical support in areas such as professionalizing their organizational structures, addressing funding and space-related challenges, or enhancing societal visibility. This comparative analysis of Hindu religious communities in Switzerland and Austria highlights the interplay between legal frameworks, societal attitudes, and the agency of religious communities in shaping their representation.