Soft power is one of the key components of foreign policy in this age of mass communication, global trade and tourism. This soft power includes cultural factors, sharing the intellectual, artistic and spiritual culture of a country with the other nations of the world. Soft power is part of what we can perhaps better call “cultural diplomacy”, using culture to create a favorable foreign policy image for a country to expand its associations and its interests.
Recent Developments Government links Pravasi Bharatiya Divas with Kumbh
Sharp Power: A New Diplomacy
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It was in the early 90s when American political scientist Joseph Nye introduced the concept of ‘soft power’ later Harvard professor introduced another concept ‘smart power’ as an extension. Cultural Diplomacy is an important instrument of foreign policy. It helps in promoting international links with countries and people around the globe.
India has recognized the importance of Cultural Diplomacy as a part of its soft power strategy in promoting its national interest and establishing itself as a dominant regional and global power. The basic principal of Cultural Diplomacy is to support foreign policy by the deployment of culture to pursue national interest.
Areas of Soft Power for India
Religion
Role of Buddhism in India’s Soft Power Strategy Why Buddhism for Cultural Diplomacy?
Why India can take advantage to rise as a soft power? Despite the fact that it is host to a relatively small population of Buddhists in terms of proportion, India is in a position to claim legitimacy in its promotion of Buddhist diplomacy for a number of reasons.
Engagement in Act East Policy
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Yoga
Strong Social Systems
Significance of Cultural Diplomacy |
Understanding each other: It involves an attempt to promote values and image of a country amongst other foreign audiences as well as try to understand values, culture and image of other countries and their people. |
Interaction amongst one another: Through cultural diplomacy, governments of various countries can increase their respect and understanding amongst other countries of the world. |
People to people contact: There are many benefits of cultural diplomacy programs. For e.g. cultural diplomacy programs can create forums for interaction between people of different countries, thus laying the ground for the forging friendships and strong connections between people of different nationalities. |
Trust factor: Cultural diplomacy helps create a “foundation of trust” with other peoples. Policy makers can build on this trust to create political, economic, and military agreements. |
Remove Ignorance: Cultural diplomacy programs can also act as a deterrent against ignorance and baseless hatred that people in other countries may bear towards a certain country. |
Helping Each Other: Cultural diplomacy can also help to advance the interests of other countries, not just the interests of the country carrying out the diplomacy. The cultural diplomacy of India, for instance, “with its heavy focus on providing scholarships to students from neighbouring countries to study in India, serves to advance India’s interests and those of its neighbours, as well as the interests of the students themselves.” |
Individual Promotion: Cultural diplomacy incorporates activities undertaken by, or involving, a wide range of participants such as artists, singers and so on, but also the manifestations of their artistry (such as a film), the promotion of aspects of the culture of a state (language, for instance), and the exchange of people, such as academics. |
India’s Current Initiatives
Challenges and Future Prospects
Areas to Improve