The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) builds cultural links with other countries. The Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) studies world affairs. It shares research and hosts talks.
- 01 · ICWA: founded in 1943; an institution of national importance under its 2001 Act.
- 02 · ICCR: founded on 9 April 1950; an autonomous body under the Ministry of External Affairs.
- 03 · Public diplomacy: engagement with foreign publics, alongside contact between governments.
- 04 · Soft power: influence through attraction and persuasion, rather than force or payment.
1. What does ICCR do?
Cultural relations since 1950
ICCR was founded on 9 April 1950 by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. He was independent India’s first Education Minister.
Its aim is to build closer cultural ties with other countries. People share ideas and learn from each other. The goal goes beyond a show of one country’s art or skills.
ICCR is an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). Its headquarters is Azad Bhawan, I.P. Estate, New Delhi.
How cultural contact becomes a relationship
ICCR administers scholarships for foreign students and supports Indian Cultural Centres abroad. The centres offer activities such as yoga, languages, dance and music.
Think of a foreign student with a grant to study in India. Classes, friends and daily life can help that student learn more about the country.
The student can take that knowledge home. Yet a study grant does not ensure close ties or support for each Indian policy.
Offices and publications
ICCR has offices in India and cultural centres abroad. Its overseas network spans more than 20 countries. Its office list now uses zones and sub-zones. The old count of ten regional offices should not be treated as current.
The directory includes Bengaluru, Guwahati, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Patna, Pune and Shillong. It also lists Delhi, Ahmedabad and Jammu.
ICCR’s centres abroad have operated in places such as Georgetown, Jakarta, Moscow, Berlin, London, Cairo, Johannesburg, Colombo, Bangkok and Tokyo.
ICCR’s publications have included six journals in five languages. Indian Horizons and Africa Quarterly are in English; Gagananchal is in Hindi.
Papeles de la India is in Spanish; Rencontre Avec l’Inde is in French. Thaqafat-ul-Hind is in Arabic.
Their publication schedules have differed. The 2013–14 report lists Hindi as bimonthly and Spanish and French as twice yearly, rather than all six being quarterly.
Sources: ICCR history; Foundation and programmes; Current network; Historical centres
Sources: Domestic directory; Headquarters; Journal names and schedules
True or False: ICCR was established before ICWA.
ICWA began in 1943. ICCR followed in 1950, seven years later.
2. What does ICWA do?
Research since 1943
ICWA was established in 1943 by Indian intellectuals led by Tej Bahadur Sapru and H. N. Kunzru. It is India’s oldest foreign-policy think tank.
A think tank studies public issues and shares its views. ICWA studies ties between countries and world affairs. It does not run a ministry.
Its headquarters is Sapru House, Barakhamba Road, New Delhi. Sapru was its founding President. The building carries his name.
ICWA hosts talks and debates, and shares research. Its library and journal, India Quarterly, help people study world affairs.
What changed under the 2001 Act?
An Act of Parliament gave ICWA the status of an institution of national importance in 2001. ICWA is a statutory body. This means a law sets out how it is run.
The Vice President of India is ICWA’s ex-officio President. A person holds an ex-officio post because they already hold a linked office.
The External Affairs Minister has served among ICWA’s Vice-Presidents. Therefore, describing ICWA as completely separate from government would be misleading.
ICWA’s research and talks can support debate alongside official diplomacy. ICWA does not decide India’s foreign policy.
Public funds can support a body that does research. The words autonomous and think tank do not mean a body has no state oversight.
Sources: ICWA history; Purpose and Sapru House; ICWA Act
Sources: Council leadership and research
True or False: ICWA’s President holds that position because they are Vice President of India.
ICWA’s President holds the office through the Vice Presidency of India. That is the meaning of ex-officio here.
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3. How does public diplomacy work?
The audience matters
Public diplomacy reaches people abroad. It seeks to inform them and build ties with them. In contrast, states also hold talks and make deals with each other.
Students, artists, scholars and the press can all take part. States can support their contact through study, visits, talks and the arts.
When foreign ministers meet, they speak for their states. A language class or study grant builds a different kind of tie with people.
Both kinds of contact can help. Ties with people do not replace embassies or talks between states. Disputes still need to be dealt with.
Four useful tools
Scholarships: grants let foreign students study in India. Daily life adds to what they learn in class.
Cultural centres: classes in language, yoga and the arts bring people together. Regular classes allow ties to grow over time.
Research forums: ICWA hosts talks and shares its work. People can discuss foreign policy and hear views they may not have met before.
Digital outreach: websites and social media can reach people who cannot attend a talk. A large audience alone does not ensure trust.
The steps show what may happen. They do not ensure success. A poor visit or a one-sided message may weaken trust.
Sources: Scholarships and cultural centres; Research and public outreach; Public diplomacy and its tools
True or False: Public diplomacy deals only with foreign governments.
Foreign publics are a central audience. Government negotiations are a separate part of diplomacy.
4. How are soft power and Track III diplomacy different?
Attraction is a source of influence
Joseph Nye introduced the term soft power in 1990. It means gaining influence because people find a country or its ideas appealing. It differs from threats or payment.
India’s culture, films, yoga and food can appeal to people abroad. So can ties with its diaspora: people of Indian origin who live abroad. Their value depends on how others respond.
For example, someone may first become curious about India through a film. A later visit, course or friendship can deepen that interest.
Enjoying a film does not mean supporting every government decision. Cultural popularity and support for a particular foreign policy are different outcomes.
People-to-people contact complements official talks
Track III diplomacy involves people-to-people contact outside formal government negotiations. Cultural exchanges and civil-society ties can help build relationships across borders.
Public diplomacy can overlap with Track III contact. Yet they are not the same. A state can run public diplomacy; Track III stresses ties between people.
Such contact may make talks easier when distrust is deep. It cannot ensure a deal. Nor can it replace talks between states.
Trust needs time and honest contact. One large festival alone cannot build lasting ties between two societies.
Sources: Nye’s account of soft power; Attraction and influence; Cultural and people-to-people contact
True or False: Soft power can replace the need for official diplomacy.
Appeal may help talks begin. States still need direct talks and other ways to resolve disputes.
5. What changed in cultural programmes in 2026?
Two ministries, related work
A Cultural Exchange Programme (CEP) sets out how countries can work together in culture. Its scope can include museums, heritage and the arts.
On 10 August 2026, the Ministry of Culture reported valid CEPs with 98 countries. Gajendra Singh Shekhawat provided the information in a written Lok Sabha reply.
The count belongs to the Culture Ministry’s CEPs. It does not count ICCR’s centres abroad or study grants. Nor does it count ICWA’s research partners.
The Global Engagement Scheme
The Culture Ministry’s Global Engagement Scheme (GES) was revised and continued for FY 2026–27 to 2030–31. Its stated outlay is ₹299.94 crore.
An outlay is a planned sum of money. It does not mean the full sum has been spent. Nor is the whole sum meant for ICCR.
- International Cultural Exchange Programme: festivals, exchanges and bilateral cultural cooperation.
- Project Mausam.
- Brihattar Bharat.
- Safeguarding the Intangible Cultural Heritage and Diverse Cultural Traditions of India.
The Culture Ministry runs the scheme. ICCR works under the MEA. Its own centres and exchanges add to India’s wider cultural work.
Sources: 98 CEPs and four components; Period, outlay and ministry roles
True or False: The 98-country CEP figure counts ICCR’s overseas cultural centres.
It counts countries with valid Cultural Exchange Programmes reported by the Ministry of Culture.
6. How can you keep the institutions apart?
Compare the purpose before the abbreviation
ICCR: 1950, cultural relations. Think of scholarships, cultural centres and exchanges. Its main task is not foreign-policy research.
ICWA: 1943, international-affairs research. Think of Sapru House, lectures, discussions and the 2001 Act.
Public diplomacy: the audience is people. It is a field of engagement, rather than another name for either institution.
Soft power: attraction is the mechanism. Public diplomacy can help share cultural resources, but influence depends on how audiences respond.
The 2001 law did not create ICWA from scratch. It set out rules for a body that was already decades old.
Sources: ICWA dates and status; ICCR foundation
7. Your understanding checks
Use the five checks above to test institutions, audiences and cultural programmes.
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8. Questions learners often ask
Does autonomous mean private?
No. An autonomous institution can remain linked to government through its funding, appointments and legal framework.
Was ICWA created by its 2001 Act?
No. It began in 1943. The 2001 Act declared it an institution of national importance.
Can a scholarship guarantee soft power?
No. It creates an opportunity for contact. A student’s experience and later views determine whether attraction develops.
Are the Culture Ministry and ICCR doing the same job?
Their cultural work can complement each other. The Global Engagement Scheme belongs to the Culture Ministry; ICCR functions under the MEA.
10. Practise with 8 MCQs
Apply the lesson to eight existing questions. Read the explanation and follow the relevant Article link after answering.
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