Cultural ties

Russia and India attach great importance to bilateral ties in the field of culture. 

The legal basis of cooperation in this area comprises of the agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of India on cultural and scientific cooperation of January 28, 1993, two- or three-year exchange programs in the field of culture, science and education (currently in effect the corresponding program for 2017-2019 dated June 1, 2017), as well as a number of documents signed between the individual departments and organizations of the two countries. 

The coordination of bilateral humanitarian contacts is carried out by the Working Group on Culture and Tourism of the Intergovernmental Russian-Indian Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technical and Cultural Cooperation (XXIII meeting was held on September 14, 2018 in Moscow). 

Russian Centers of Science and Culture (RCSC) in India (New Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta, Chennai, Trivandrum) as well as Indian Jawaharlal Neru Cultural Center in Moscow contribute significantly to the development of cultural relations. 

Russian-Indian cultural interaction covers a wide range of areas. Music, dance, theater groups are being exchanged, film festivals, art and photo exhibitions, various thematic seminars and conferences are organized. Cross cultural festivals are held annually. 

Under the Days of Russian Culture India welcomed Moscow Musical Theater (performance “Reverse”), the New Life Brass Band named after Timofey Dokshitzer and the Vainakh Chechen State Dance Company in October-December 2018. In addition to New Delhi, performances by Russian groups were successfully held in Jaipur (Rajasthan), Calcutta (West Bengal), Chandigarh (Punjab and Haryana), Chennai (Tamil Nadu) and Hyderabad (Telengana). The warm welcome of the Indian audience testified its undying interest in Russian art. 

Cooperation in the field of cinematography is developing. As part of the traditional Days of Russian cinema in India in October 2018, seven new Russian movies were shown in New Delhi, Mumbai and Pune (Maharashtra). Representatives of the Russian film industry regularly take part in festivals in India, including the most prestigious of them - the Indian International Festival in Goa, the Indian filmmakers - in Russian film festivals, including the Moscow International Film Festival. 

Direct contacts in the field of culture on the interregional level are expanding. In 2012, New Delhi hosted the Days of Moscow (the next are scheduled for autumn 2019), in 2017 - St. Petersburg hosted the Days of Mumbai, the Days of India in Siberia (Novosibirsk) were held. The Indian Festival in Moscow and the Days of Indian Culture in the Astrakhan Region are held annually. 

A joint work is underway to preserve the heritage of an outstanding Russian family - the Roerichs, who has found a second homeland on Indian soil. There are memorial museum and art gallery at the estate of the Roerichs in Naggar (Himachal Pradesh), Helena Roerich Academy of Arts for children, festivals and seminars dedicated to memorable dates associated with members of the Roerich family are held regularly. The activities of the museum-estate are controlled by the Board of Trustees of the International Roerich Memorial Trust (its XVIII meeting, chaired by the Chief Minister of the State J.R. Thakur, President of the Board of Trustees of IRMT, saw the participation of the Russian Ambassador to India Nikolay R. Kudashev, Vice-President of the Council, on November 30, 2018 in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh).