Search

Union Budget 2026 casts India’s maritime domain as a strategic engine, aligning inland connectivity, manufacturing, and heritage with economic resil

Amir Khan Muttaqi’s visit to Darul Uloom Deoband highlights how India can leverage its historical and theological influence to engage the Taliban, r

मेडिटेरेनियन आहार परंपरागत होने के साथ-साथ विज्ञान आधार�

नागरी वारशाचे डिजिटायझेशन केल्याने मोठ्या संख्येने लोक

तैयार विरासत को डिजिटाइज़ करने से अधिक संख्या में लोगों �

From funding the restoration of Mosul’s cultural heritage to pledging aid for Gaza's reconstruction, the UAE's actions reflect a nuanced blend of hu

Digitising built heritage can help foster greater public engagement and awareness and lead to effective preservation and restoration.

गाझाची पुनर्बांधणी सर्वांगीण व्हायला हवी. आर्थिक पुनर्�

बांगलादेशात निर्माण होत असलेल्या 'भारत विरोधी' भावनांच्�

Gaza's reconstruction must be holistic, addressing infrastructure and essential services while prioritising economic rebuilding, currency stabilisatio

India, with its cultural heritage rooted in Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, must use this opportunity to build more effective peacebuilding and peacekeeping pr

The credibility of the 'anti-India' sentiments emerging in Bangladesh warrants scrutiny, as reality portrays a different narrative from what is depict

Throughout history, nations have used gift diplomacy to project their cultural identity and national values, and establish rapport that can transcend

वित्तीय और प्रशासनिक पहलुओं का ध्यान रखते हुए इन धरोहरों

वित्तीय और प्रशासनिक पहलुओं का ध्यान रखते हुए इन धरोहरों

The heritage list needs to be curated keeping in mind the financial and administrative aspect of safeguarding such sites

ঐতিহ্যবাহী স্থানগুলি সংরক্ষণের মাধ্যমে দমনমূলক ঔপনিবে�

विरासती स्थानों को कई दिलचस्प मगर चिंताजनक रूपों में सत्

The continuation of oppressive colonial ideology through the preservation of heritage sites is stifling social change.

इस नई जियोपॉलिटिकल हक़ीक़त को लेकर भारत के द्वीपीय पड़ोस

The two South Asian neighbours — Bangladesh and India — share a common history, and linguistic and cultural heritage. Their strategic locations co

The most important reform that needs to be introduced is to permit the use of Transferable Development Rights (TDR) across the entire State and not ju

सांस्कृतिक लचीलापन अक्सर अनिश्चितता के गर्भ से पैदा होत�

The Centre must proceed with caution as ill–timed and hasty measures can damage the efforts of integration.

Unless India takes up urban planning with the seriousness it deserves, the future of some of the mega projects of the incumbent government such as the

Considering that there are occasions when our laws are being none-too-frequently challenged in courts halfway through implementation, or court verdict

India’s intangible heritage representation list is poor. It is time we actively work towards creating crucial databases.

While existing literature provides solid documentation of conservation policy and legislation, coverage of civil society's perceptions and role within conservation schemes is relatively sparse. This paper presents the under-represented perspective of modern Delhi on the policies and realities of heritage conservation.

India’s built heritage—rich and diverse, an amalgamation of the country’s multi-millennial interactions with different cultures—is managed by governmental agencies at the national, state and local levels. These bodies have their respective mandates in protecting and preserving the country’s ancient monuments and other structures of historical value. At the same time, India faces a host of natural disasters that pose a multitude of hazar

This is an edited version of the talk given by Prof. Sudharshan Seneviratne, a well known historian and archaeologist from Sri Lanka, at ORF on April 9, 2012. Prof Seneviratne, currently Professor of Archaeology at the University of Peradeniya, Colombo, has carried out pioneering research in the field of archaeology and is a widely respected speaker on the subject.

The national identity of Pakistan is rooted in the ‘two-nation theory’—the very basis of the creation of the country—which says that the Hindus and Muslims of the subcontinent were two different nations and therefore, the Muslims were entitled to a separate homeland where Islam would be practiced as state religion. Does Pakistan’s quest for identity, however, mean neglecting the non-Islamic culture present in the country? This brief cal

Digital realities have become analogous to lived experiences, easing governance and systematising processes. They have also helped in the reimagination of approaches to heritage conservation, making diverse cultures more accessible and easier to engage with. Heritage, once regarded as a “national” public good, has evolved into a commodity with immense tourism and economic potential. India, in its quest to exploit this potential, has implement

The SAARC region needed to be rescued from colonial era cultural definitions as they were too narrow and a broader range was sought to create cultural zones within the natural boundaries, argues well-known Sri Lankan archeologist Prof. Sudharshan Seneviratne.

Cultural entrepreneurship promotes a country’s heritage, resources and creative talents through products, services, and experiences. It shapes the country’s cultural economy; enables economic growth, innovation, and sociocultural development; and, when exported, contributes towards building soft power. India, with a millennia-old heritage, indigenous knowledge systems, and practices, has the potential to become a leading cultural and

The Sundarban ecoregion, straddling India and Bangladesh, is home to the largest contiguous mangrove forest in the world. Parts of the forest are designated as World Heritage Sites in both countries due to their rich biodiversity. The natural areas of the Sundarban are influenced by human use and, in recent years, increasingly by climate change. This paper explores an institutional arrangement that could help identify and implement the options th

Traditional Indian fermented foods represent a confluence of cultural heritage, nutritional functionality, and environmental sustainability, offering an effective dietary intervention amidst public health and climate-related challenges. Produced through natural or controlled microbial fermentation involving lactic acid bacteria, bifidobacteria, and yeasts, these foods—such as idli (steamed rice cake), dosa (rice and lentil crepe), dahi (curd),

Half a century after the first United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, the current debates are focused on new sets of challenges such as space mining, which used to belong only to the realm of science fiction.  This paper analyses the rationale for extraterrestrial mining, as well as the efforts and responses of various countries—i.e, USA, Luxembourg, Russia, China and India. In examining the legal and go

An increasingly global strategic outlook from India will impact U.S. foreign policy in significant ways. A conference co-hosted by ORF and the Heritage Foundation examined the issues involved and the interplay between India's economic path and its global strategic outlook.

Recently, in two special reports (ORF-Heritage Foundation and ORF-Center for American Progress) Indian and American scholars have come out with many suggestions to fast-track India-US relations. If the policy-makers at the Annual Strategic Dialogue take on board some of these recommendations, it will go a long way in re-energising the relationship.

India has always been shy of adding a religious tint to its foreign policy. In the last decade, however, the aspiring global power began engaging in what has come to be called 'Buddhist diplomacy' in its outreach to countries in the South, East and Southeast Asia. 􀀫e prime minister is diligently pursuing India's 'Buddhist agenda' and taking it beyond its borders, emphasising the Indian and Hindu links with Buddhism. Concurrently, another Asian

The concept of ‘gentrification’ has been studied extensively in urban agglomerations, specifically in tier-I and tier-II cities. ‘Gentrification’ is largely understood as the displacement of people belonging to certain classes in an area due to the influx of investment and affluent classes into that area. In India, settlements are based on religious and social vectors of caste, rather than economic vectors of class. With settlemen

This brief tackles the crucial role of public diplomacy in enhancing India's global influence. It argues that India should exert effort to communicate its rich cultural heritage and economic growth story to foreign audiences, and recommends a roadmap that involves linking public diplomacy to national security, the establishment of a specialised public diplomacy agency, and creating the position of a chief public diplomat. A well-structured public

Once Narendra Modi steps away from the minefield of Nepal's domestic discourse on the Hindu state, the Indian Prime Minister will find the shared Hindu and Buddhist heritage a solid foundation on which to build a new and lasting edifice of bilateral cooperation.

Port cities are playing an increasingly vital role in driving economic growth within the blue economy. This paper examines how these cities, particularly in the Global South, can strike a balance between economic development, social equity, and environmental sustainability. It emphasises the imperative of integrating local contexts—especially the needs of indigenous peoples and local communities—as well as cultural heritage into urban plannin