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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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