Parliament Question: Mapping of cultural exports from India

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3076 ANSWERED ON 19/03/2026 MAPPING OF CULTURAL EXPORTS FROM INDIA

3076. SHRI SANJAY KUMAR JHA:

Will the Minister of Culture be pleased to state: a. whether it is a fact that Yoga is one of India’s most successful cultural exports to Russia; b. the details of other prominent cultural exports from India to different countries across the globe;

c. whether the Ministry proposes any mapping of prominent cultural exports from India to the recipient country and vice-versa; and d. whether the Ministry has identified certain promising cultural exports from India to foreign countries that have not reached their full potential and if so, the details of measures to enhance these cultural exports? ANSWER MINISTER OF CULTURE AND TOURISM (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

(a) Yoga enjoys widespread popularity across the world and is recognized as an important element of India’s cultural heritage. Yoga has also been inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of UNESCO in 2016.

(b) Apart from yoga, several other cultural expressions of India have gained international recognition, including Indian classical and folk performing arts (music, dance and theatre), traditional handicrafts and textiles, Indian cinema, literature, cuisine, and traditional knowledge systems such as Ayurveda and meditation. These are promoted internationally through cultural exchange programmes, festivals and exhibitions abroad, and participation of Indian artists and cultural groups in international cultural events, in collaboration with Indian Missions and cultural institutions.(c) The Ministry of Culture has not undertaken any specific exercise to map prominent cultural exports from India to individual countries and vice versa. All efforts are made to promote and propagate India’s cultural heritage across the globe.

(d) The Ministry of Culture has not undertaken a specific exercise to identify cultural exports that have not reached their full potential. However, sectors such as traditional handicrafts, textiles, performing arts, yoga and traditional knowledge systems have considerable potential for wider global outreach.

To promote India’s cultural presence internationally, the Ministry implements the Global Engagement Scheme, under which initiatives such as Festival of India in foreign countries, participation of Indian artists and cultural groups in international cultural events, and grant-in-aid support to Indo-Foreign Friendship Cultural Societies abroad for organizing cultural programmes and activities are undertaken to enhance the global visibility of India’s cultural heritage and strengthen cultural exchanges with other countries.

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