NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking an Indian summer on the world stage. In line with his thrust to convert global goodwill for India into an edge for the economy, NITI Aayog wants an India cultural behemoth to dot the world map.
After Independence, Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) was constituted with objectives to spread awareness about Indian culture. But the BJP-led NDA government isn’t a great admirer of ICCR’s works. This is evident in the prescription of the NITI Aayog for a serious effort to form a body, which can help the economy gain acceptance when protectionism is arguably the flavour of the season in the US and Europe.
“The government should begin working at the earliest to establish cultural centres across the globe on the lines of the Alliance Francaise Centre (France), Goethe Institute (Germany), Instituto Cervantes (Spain) and Confucion Institute (China). The centres should exhibit youth and modernity of Indian culture with the involvement of academicians, artists and experts from various fields,” the NITI Aayog stated in its proposal.
The think-tank argued that the centre should not function in silos but link up with other resources, including museums and heritage sites.
Stating that South Korea had been successful in commanding better perception for the country globally with coordinated efforts, NITI Aayog wants India to replicate Seoul’s database of master craftsmen of the country. “The proposed centre should have a database of master craftsmen. The South Korean Development Agency has a repository of 4,000 master craftsmen of traditional skills. It can be replicated in India, which can play prominent roles during global marketing and promotion of India’s culture and heritage,” the NITI Aayog added.
NITI Aayog is anticipating that Indo-China rivalry for the global economic space will intensify in the coming decades. “Prime Minister’s pet schemes, including Make in India, will within a few years pitch India against China in global market. China has heavily invested through various initiatives to promote its economy. India must not join the race, but outsmart other competitors,” a NITI Aayog official said.
Globe Trotting