India’s emphasis on cultural diplomacy

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Sacred Relics of Lord Buddha and his two disciples Arahata Sariputra and Arahata Maudgalyayana displayed in Thailand.
Also, India handed over a list of 70 select documents to Oman pertaining to Oman that are available in the National Archives of India.
The above developments are exemplification of India’s Cultural Diplomacy.

Cultural Diplomacy: It is the exchange of ideas, information, art, language, and other aspects of culture among nations and peoples to foster mutual understanding.

Cultural Diplomacy’s significances for India
- Important dimension of India’s soft power.
- Way to prevent conflict and promote peace. E.g Kartarpur Corridor to create goodwill with Pakistan.
- Instrument in regional and international cooperation. E.g. Joint commemoration of 150th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore’s by India and Bangladesh
- Promotion of India’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage. E.g. Yoga, Classical dances, Religious tourism.

Challenges
- Inadequate financing and lack of coordination among various institutions engaged in the conduct of cultural power projection.
- Shortage of skilled manpower in Indian Missions/Posts abroad.
- Lack of clarity on the mandate of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).
- Absence of a national policy on the projection of cultural soft strengths.