Parliament Question: Cultural Exchange Agreements and Overseas Expeditions

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO: *434 ANSWERED ON 23.03.2026 CULTURAL EXCHANGE AGREEMENTS AND OVERSEAS EXPEDITIONS *434. SHRI THIRU D M KATHIR ANAND: SHRI DR. T SUMATHY ALIAS THAMIZHACHI THANGAPANDIAN: Will the Minister of Culture be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government has signed any agreement with European countries like Greece, Italy, Germany, France as well as Middle-east and South East Asian countries to have Cultural Exchange Programmes to promote heritage and culture and if so, the details thereof; (b) the details of the expeditions undertaken so far by Indian archaeologists and art historians to various countries during the last ten years; and (c) whether the Government has adequate budgetary allocation for sending Indian archaeologists and art historians to various countries and if so, the details thereof along with the funds utilised thereon, year-wise? ANSWER MINISTER OF CULTURE AND TOURISM (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT) (a) to (c): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) IN RESPECT OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *434 FOR REPLY ON 23.03.2026 REGARDING CULTURAL EXCHANGE AGREEMENTS AND OVERSEAS EXPEDITIONS ASKED BY Shri THIRU D M KATHIR ANAND AND DR. T SUMATHY ALIAS THAMIZHACHI THANGAPANDIAN (a) to (c): Ministry of Culture, Government of India has signed the cultural agreement with 115 countries including Greece, Italy, Germany, France and other European countries, Middle east and South east Asian countries to have Cultural Exchange Programmes (CEPs) promoting heritage and culture. The list of Countries with whom Ministry of Culture, Government of India has signed Cultural Agreement is given at Annexure-I and the list of Countries with whom Ministry of Culture has signed Cultural Exchange Programme is given at Annexure-II. In order to take up conservation and restoration of historical monuments, teams are deputed to various countries within the allocated budget of ASI. However, there is no separate budget allocated for expeditions for Indian archaeologists and art historians.Annexure-I Annexure referred to part (a) to (c) in reply to Lok Sabha Starred Question No.434 for 23.03.2026 List of Countries with whom Ministry of Culture, Government of India has signed Cultural Agreement Sl. Name of Sl. Name of Sl. Name of Sl. Name of No. Country No. Country No. Country No. Country 1. Algeria 31. Estonia 61. Malaysia 91. Seychelles 2. Afghanistan 32. Finland 62. Maldives 92. Somalia 3. Australia 33. France 63. Mongolia 93. South Africa 4. Argentina 34. Ghana 64. Mexico 94. Sudan 5. Armenia 35. Guyana 65. Malta 95. Sri Lanka 6. Benin 36. Germany 66. Madagascar 96. Syria 7. Botswana 37. Greece 67. Mauritius 97. Suriname 8. Bahrain 38. Hungary 68. Morocco 98. Trinidad and Tobago 9. Bangladesh 39. Nigeria 69. Mozambique 99. Tanzania 10. Burma 40. Indonesia 70. Namibia 100. Tunisia (Myanmar) 11. Belize 41. Iran 71. Netherlands 101. Tajikistan 12. Bolivia 42. Iraq 72. Norway 102. Thailand 13. Belarus 43. Israel 73. Nicaragua 103. Turkey 14. Belgium 44. Iceland 74. Nepal 104. Uganda 15. Bulgaria 45. Ireland 75. Oman 105. Upper Volta 16. Brazil 46. Italy 76. Pakistan 106. United Arab Emirates 17. Congo 47. Jamaica 77. Philippines 107. Uzbekistan 18. Cambodia 48. Japan 78. Panama 108. Vietnam 19. China 49. Jordan 79. Peru 109. Venezuela 20. Cuba 50. Kazakhstan 80. Poland 110. Yemen 21. Chile 51. Korea (North) 81. Portugal 111. Zambia 22. Colombia 52. Kuwait 82. Qatar 112. Zimbabwe 23. Croatia 53. Kyrgyzstan 83. Rwanda 113. Moldova 24. Cyprus 54. Kenya 84. Russian 114. Ukraine Federation 25. Czech Republic 55. Lithuania 85. Romania 115. Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire) 26. Djibouti 56. Luxembourg 86. Serbia 27. Dominican 57. Laos 87. Slovakia Republic 28. Egypt 58. Lebanon 88. Slovenia 29. Ethiopia 59. Lesotho 89. Spain 30. Ecuador 60. Libya 90. SenegalAnnexure-II Annexure referred to part (a) to (c) in reply to Lok Sabha Starred Question No.434 for 23.03.2026 List of Countries with whom Ministry of Culture, Government of India has signed Cultural Exchange Programmes S.No. Name of Country S.No. Name of Country S.No. Name of Country 1. Australia 33. Indonesia 65. Romania 2. Armenia 34. Iran 66. Rwanda 3. Angola 35. Iceland 67. Serbia 4. Benin 36. Italy 68. Slovakia 5. Botswana 37. Israel 69. Slovenia 6. Bahrain 38. Japan 70. Spain 7. Bangladesh 39. Jordan 71. Saudi Arabia 8. Brunei 40. Jamaica 72. Senegal 9. Myanmar 41. Kazakhstan 73. Seychelles 10. Bolivia 42. Korea, South 74. Sierra Leone 11. Belarus 43. Kyrgyzstan 75. South Africa 12. Bulgaria 44. Kenya 76. Sudan 13. Brazil 45. Kuwait 77. Sri Lanka 14. Comoros 46. Lithuania 78. Suriname 15. Cambodia 47. Malaysia 79. Tanzania 16. China 48. Maldives 80. Tunisia 17. Cuba 49. Mongolia 81. Tajikistan 18. Chile 50. Mexico 82. Thailand 19. Colombia 51. Mali 83. Timor-Leste 20. Croatia 52. Mauritius 84. Turkey 21. Cyprus 53. Morocco 85. Turkmenistan 22. Czech Republic 54. Malawi 86. Trinidad & Tobago 23. Denmark 55. Mauritania 87. Uganda 24. Egypt 56. Netherlands 88. UAE 25. Ethiopia 57. Norway 89. Uzbekistan 26. Ecuador 58. Nigeria 90. Ukraine 27. Finland 59. Oman 91. United Kingdom 28. France 60. Philippines 92. Vietnam 29. Ghana 61. Panama 93. Venezuela 30. Guyana 62. Peru 94. Zambia 31. Greece 63. Portugal 95. Zimbabwe 32. Hungary 64. Russian Federation *****