ADVERTISEMENTs
UK, India sign cultural agreement to boost creative industries
British Indian minister Nandy is leading a delegation of senior representatives from British cultural organisations on a three-day visit to India.
-
Malvika Choudhary - Fri, 02, May 2025
- 16:05 EDT
- 86
Lisa Nandy / GOV.UK
The United Kingdom and India signed a new cultural cooperation agreement to strengthen ties between their creative industries, cultural institutions, and heritage sectors.
The agreement was signed in New Delhi on May 2 by the UK Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy, and India’s Minister for Culture and Tourism,Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.
Also Read: Murderous, violent act of terrorism: UK MP Priti Patel condemns Pahalgam attack
As part of a three-day visit to India, British Indian minister Nandy is leading a delegation of senior representatives from British cultural organizations, including VisitBritain, the British Film Institute and the Science Museum.
The new UK-India Programme of Cultural Cooperation is designed to enhance collaboration through the arts and heritage, encourage long-term business partnerships, and expand economic opportunities across both countries’ creative sectors.
“In the arts and creative industries, Britain and India lead the world and I look forward to this agreement opening up fresh opportunities for collaboration, innovation and economic growth for our artists, cultural institutions and creative businesses,” Nandy said, in a statement issued by the UK’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
The agreement will also promote the exchange of expertise in heritage conservation, museum management, and digitization of collections. British institutions such as Arts Council England, the British Library, the British Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum Group and the V&A Museum are expected to play key roles in the programme, working closely with the British Council in India and the Indian Ministry of Culture.
The initiative forms part of the UK government’s wider “Plan for Change,” which aims to boost international cultural ties and economic growth. The agreement is also expected to support new partnerships between museums and galleries, with a focus on exhibitions and public programming that reflect the contribution of the Indian diaspora in the UK.
During her visit, Nandy delivered a keynote speech at the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) in Mumbai, attended by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where she spoke about the deep cultural links between the two countries. She also visited Yash Raj Films Studio to discuss expanding ties in the film industry, highlighting the rich cinematic traditions shared by the UK and India.
Other events during the visit included meetings with fashion designers in Delhi’s Okhla neighbourhood, interaction with women cricketers ahead of the Women’s Cricket World Cup in India later this year, and engagement with Premier League Primary Stars coaches working to improve school sports education.
The delegation also previewed India’s Serendipity Arts Festival performances, set to be staged in Birmingham this May and in London next year, and launched a new campaign in India to boost tourism to the UK through film and TV locations.
Leaders from major British cultural institutions welcomed the agreement as a milestone in deepening cross-border collaboration. Ian Blatchford of the Science Museum Group, Tristram Hunt of the V&A, Nicholas Cullinan of the British Museum, Doug Gurr of the Natural History Museum and Rebecca Lawrence of the British Library all expressed support, noting existing partnerships and the opportunities this deal brings for shared knowledge, exhibitions, and educational outreach.
The agreement also received praise from prominent cultural figures. Actor and writer Sanjeev Bhaskar highlighted the role of the creative industries in building mutual appreciation between nations, while filmmaker Gurinder Chadha called the agreement “an opportunity to unlock exciting new creative opportunities for artists and storytellers” from both countries.
Related
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
E Paper
ADVERTISEMENT
.jpg)
Video
Comments
Start the conversation
Become a member of New India Abroad to start commenting.
Sign Up Now
Already have an account? Login