India uses cultural diplomacy to strengthen global ties with 98 countries

August 10, 2026 9:46 PM

India uses cultural diplomacy to strengthen global ties with 98 countries

India is strengthening its cultural diplomacy and international engagement through a comprehensive framework aimed at showcasing the country’s civilisational heritage, cultural diversity and contemporary creative traditions across the world, Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said on Monday. In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Shekhawat said the Ministry of Culture promotes India's cultural relations with other countries through the Global Engagement Scheme (GES), an...

PM Modi highlights efforts to preserve India’s cultural heritage under ‘Virasat Bhi, Vikas Bhi’ vision

June 18, 2026 5:31 PM

PM Modi highlights efforts to preserve India’s cultural heritage under ‘Virasat Bhi, Vikas Bhi’ vision

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday highlighted the government’s efforts to preserve, restore and promote India’s rich cultural heritage. Sharing a thread by MyGovIndia on X, the Prime Minister said, “India’s cultural heritage is being preserved, celebrated and carried forward with renewed vigour. Guided by the vision of ‘Virasat Bhi, Vikas Bhi’, efforts ranging from the repatriation of antiquities to strengthening spiritual and pilgrimage infrastructure are reconnecting people...

Vikas Bhi, Virasat Bhi: How India’s heritage renaissance is reshaping cultural preservation, tourism and global recognition

June 18, 2026 12:07 PM

Vikas Bhi, Virasat Bhi: How India’s heritage renaissance is reshaping cultural preservation, tourism and global recognition

Over the past twelve years, India has witnessed an unprecedented expansion of its heritage conservation and cultural development ecosystem under the vision of "Vikas Bhi, Virasat Bhi" - a development model that seeks to balance economic growth with the preservation and promotion of the country's civilisational legacy. From restoring ancient temples and redeveloping pilgrimage centres to digitising manuscripts, reclaiming stolen antiquities and expanding India's footprint on UNESCO's global heri...

IFFI 2025: Cinema, Culture, and Change Come Together in Goa

November 17, 2025 3:35 PM

IFFI 2025: Cinema, Culture, and Change Come Together in Goa

For more than seven decades, the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) has carried the spirit of a nation that believes cinema is not just art but a bridge between cultures. As India prepares for the 56th edition of IFFI in Goa, the festival feels larger, more connected, and more purposeful than ever before. This year’s edition reflects India’s growing confidence on the global cinematic map and its belief that creativity becomes stronger when nations collaborate. In this context, the s...

Gajendra Singh Shekhawat highlights culture as global public good at UNESCO MONDIACULT 2025

September 30, 2025 10:10 PM

Gajendra Singh Shekhawat highlights culture as global public good at UNESCO MONDIACULT 2025

Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat represented India at the World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development (MONDIACULT 2025), organized by UNESCO in Barcelona, Spain, on Monday. The event brought together ministers and cultural leaders from across the globe to chart the future of international cultural cooperation. In a significant recognition of India’s role, Shekhawat served as Chair of the Asia-Pacific Group during the Ministerial Plenary Session, which oversaw the ...

India’s sacred Buddhist Relics return after 127 Years

August 6, 2025 4:07 PM

India’s sacred Buddhist Relics return after 127 Years

In an event that stirred hearts across the global Buddhist community, India welcomed home the sacred Piprahwa relics—one of the most spiritually and archaeologically significant treasures ever discovered. Repatriated after 127 years, these relics represent not just fragments of the past but a powerful symbol of India’s enduring cultural legacy and soft power diplomacy. The journey of these relics, taken during colonial rule, came full circle in July 2025, as the Ministry of Culture, in coll...

Sotheby’s halts relics auction after India’s diplomatic push

May 8, 2025 3:52 AM

Sotheby’s halts relics auction after India’s diplomatic push

The Ministry of Culture has successfully intervened to stop the auction of the Piprahwa Buddhist relics in Hong Kong, marking a significant diplomatic and cultural win for India. The sacred artifacts, which include bone fragments believed to be of the historical Buddha, were scheduled to go under the hammer at Sotheby’s on May 7. The relics had been listed for sale by Chris Peppé, great-grandson of British engineer William Claxton Peppé, who excavated them in 1898 from a stupa in Piprahwa,...