Ministry of Culture promotes Indian culture abroad via Cultural Agreements and Global Engagement Scheme (FY 2026-27 to 2030-31)
Ministry of Culture’s Global Engagement Scheme (FY 2026–27 to 2030–31) for cultural outreach abroad and support through Festivals of India and Grants-in-Aid
- The Ministry promotes Indian culture abroad through bilateral cultural instruments and through the Global Engagement Scheme (GES).
- GES organises Festivals of India abroad and provides Grants-in-Aid to Indo-Foreign Friendship Cultural Societies through Indian Missions abroad.
- ICCR, under the Ministry of External Affairs, undertakes cultural activities through Indian Missions/Posts and cultural centres abroad, including yoga, dance, music, and language teaching.
What happened
The Ministry of Culture promotes Indian culture abroad through bilateral and multilateral cultural cooperation instruments and through programme administration under the Global Engagement Scheme (GES). The Ministry’s approach includes concluding and implementing Cultural Agreements and Cultural Exchange Programmes, signing Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) on cultural cooperation, coordinating India’s participation in multilateral cultural forums such as G20, BRICS, SCO, and SAARC, and organising Festivals of India abroad under the GES. GES also provides Grants-in-Aid to Indo-Foreign Friendship Cultural Societies through Indian Missions abroad for promoting Indian art, culture, and cultural exchanges. The GES has been revised and continued for FY 2026–27 to 2030–31 with an outlay of Rs. 299.94 crore and includes sub-schemes for International Cultural Exchange Programme, Project Mausam, Brihattar Bharat, Safeguarding the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH), and Diverse Cultural Traditions of India.
Background and earlier position
Analyse the Global Engagement Scheme (GES) as a government instrument for cultural outreach abroad. Link the scheme’s instruments (Festivals of India, Cultural Agreements/MoUs, grant support to societies through missions) with India’s soft power goals, then assess governance questions: funding continuity, programme structure via sub-schemes, and how grant delivery through Indian Missions affects implementation.
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