India's Soft Power: A New Foreign Policy Strategy by Patryk Kugiel

Author:Patryk Kugiel [Kugiel, Patryk]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: International Relations, Ethnic Studies, History & Theory, Diplomacy, Social Science, Political Science, World, Asian, Regional Studies, General
ISBN: 9781351987172
Google: JDElDwAAQBAJ
Goodreads: 35036250
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2017-04-21T00:00:00+00:00

Cultural Diplomacy

Culture has been natural tool of diplomacy for centuries, as is well illustrated in a custom of gifts and cultural artefacts exchange by emissaries of ancient kingdoms across continents. As culture is a prime source of a country’s soft power, cultural diplomacy is a crucial instrument to enhance the attractiveness of states and influence the preferences of others. It entails establishing and nurturing cooperation with other countries through use of culture, art and education.

In India, international cultural cooperation lies in competence of the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Culture. Whereas the former sets up general directions and priorities for cooperation, the latter gives the legal framework for cultural exchange with different countries. In 2012, the Ministry of Culture had bilateral cultural agreements with 126 states and cultural exchange programmes with 58 states (MC, 2013: p.36). Furthermore, the ministry supports international collaboration and promotion of Indian culture abroad, provides grants to India Friendship societies in foreign countries (45 in 2012), facilitates the Indian Literature Abroad project, which aims to translate and popularise literature in Indian languages into five UNESCO languages and, finally, participates in regional and multilateral cultural forums.

The primary public institution responsible for implementation of cultural cooperation programmes and promotion of Indian culture abroad is the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). The Council was founded in 1950 by Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad, independent India’s first education minister, with the primary objective of establishing, reviving, and strengthening cultural relations and mutual understanding between India and other countries (MEA, 2000). Its aims are to actively participate in the formulation and implementation of policies and programmes pertaining to India’s external cultural relations; to foster and strengthen cultural relations and mutual understanding between India and other countries; to promote cultural exchange with other countries and people; and to develop relations with national and international organisations in the field of culture (ICCR website, 2014). Although this is a semi-autonomous public agency, it works under the supervision of the Ministry of External Affairs. The activities of the Council include (ICCR, 2013):

Operation of Indian Cultural Centres abroad and Regional Offices within India.

Establishment and operation of Chairs for Indian Studies in foreign universities.

Administration and granting of scholarship schemes for overseas students, and supervision of the international student welfare.

Exchange of exhibitions; exchange of groups of performing artists.

Organisation of and participation in international seminars and symposia.

Participation in major cultural festivals abroad; Organisation of “Festivals of India” abroad; organisation of lecture-demonstrations by performing artists abroad.

Organisation of the Distinguished Visitors Programme, under which eminent guests from abroad are invited to India.

Presentation of books, audio-visual material, art objects and musical instruments to institutions abroad.

Providing the Secretariat for the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding.

Organisation of the Annual Maulana Azad Memorial Lecture and the commemoration of Maulana Azad’s Birth and Death Anniversaries; Maintenance of a well-stocked library and the manuscripts of Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad.

Publication of journals for distribution in India and abroad.

Digitalization of rare manuscripts.

Awarding of Library Fellowships.

Supporting Hindi-related activities, including publication of a Hindi magazine, Gagananchal.

Undertaking projects on behalf of the Ministry of External Affairs.

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