On 15-October-1982, International Council On Monuments And Sites (ICOMOS) submitted to the World Heritage Committee, the report on its evaluation of Group Monuments of Hampi . In its recommendation, ICOMOS proposed "the cultural property be inscribed on the World Heritage List, on the condition that there be an extension of the area of protection to the whole of the archaeological site".

ICOMOS, in its justification, further stated that Hampi "was one of the most beautiful cities of the medieval world. Its palaces and Dravidian temples were much admired by travellers, be they Arabs, Portuguese or Italian". ICOMOS also justifies its recommendation with "the temples of Ramachandra (1513) and Hazara Rama (1520), with their sophisticated structure were each supporting element is scanned by bundles of pilasters or colonnettes which project from the richly sculpted walls." It also includes in its justification, "a small monument of a chariot which two elephants, sculpted in the round, struggle to drag along is one of the unusual creations".

• The inscription of Hampi on the World Heritage List is based on the criteria:
  I - Hampi represents a unique artistic creation
• III - The city bears exceptional testimony to the vanished civilisation of the Kingdom of Vijayanagar, which reached its apogee under the reign of Krishna Deva Raya (1509 - 1530)
• IV - This capital offers an outstanding example of a type of structure, which illustrates a significant historical situation: that of the Kingdoms of South India, which menaced by the Muslims, were occasionally allied with the Portuguese of Goa.

ICOMOS, in its recommendation, also asked the World Heritage Committee to defer the inscription of Hampi on the World Heritage List on the grounds "Of the 500 monuments listed at Hampi, less than 50 are designated as being protected". It also stated "a new village has been constructed near the temple of Pattabhi Rama in order to house the employees of a hydro-electric plant" referring to the present day Hospet Tungabhadra Dam.

Hampi was finally inscribed on the World Heritage List for criteria I, III and IV on 5-December-1986. As of year 2004, there are 26 Indian sites on the World Heritage List. To view the complete list of World Heritage Sites, please click here.