Context

• In May 2025, a new and promising dimension was added to the strategic partnership between India and the United Kingdom, one that extends beyond trade and diplomacy, delving into the rich and transformative world of culture.
• While the ratification of the much-anticipated Free Trade Agreement captured economic headlines, the signing of the Programme of Cultural Cooperation (POCC) signalled a cultural renaissance.
• Amid these developments, it is imperative to explore the deeper implications of the POCC, analysing its role in developing cross-border creativity, empowering cultural industries, and enhancing bilateral ties between two nations connected by shared history and aspirations.

The Programme of Cultural Cooperation and its Key Features

• The Programme of Cultural Cooperation: A Landmark Agreement
  • On May 2, 2025, the U.K. Secretary of State for Culture, Rt Hon Lisa Nandy, and India’s Minister for Culture, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, signed the POCC, a landmark cultural agreement aimed at strengthening creative collaboration.
  • Structured around five key programme areas, digital technologies for culture, exhibitions and collections, performances and events, cultural property, and sustainability, the POCC aligns with both nations’ strategic objectives.
  • For the U.K., it complements its creative economy strategy; for India, it provides a framework to amplify its cultural soft power.
  • This agreement also reflects a growing recognition of culture as a driver of economic development and international goodwill.
  • By committing to the POCC, both governments have sent a strong message: cultural diplomacy is not peripheral but central to 21st-century international relations.
• The Creative Economy: A Global Engine of Growth
  • The POCC arrives at a time when the global creative economy is on the rise, projected to constitute 10% of global GDP by 2030.
  • This sector includes film, music, digital content, heritage tourism, design, and more, industries that not only generate economic value but also foster innovation, inclusion, and identity.
  • At the 2023 G-20 New Delhi Leaders’ Summit, global leaders, including those from the U.K. and India, acknowledged the sector’s potential and emphasised the need for greater investment.
  • India’s hosting of the inaugural World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) in Mumbai was a tangible step in this direction, and Ms. Nandy’s presence there underlined the U.K.’s interest in co-shaping this global narrative.

India’s Creative Strength and UK-India Synergies

• India’s Creative Strengths: Cultural Wealth Meets Youthful Innovation
  • India’s creative advantage is rooted in a unique convergence of tradition and technology.
  • With a cultural economy valued at $35 billion and employing nearly 8% of its workforce, India is second only to agriculture in terms of employment generation in this sector.
  • What makes this growth even more significant is its decentralisation: six of India’s top 10 creative hubs lie in non-metro areas, showcasing the country's cultural diversity and grassroots talent.
  • Moreover, with over 300 universities and 3,000 colleges offering degrees in design, arts, and architecture, India is actively building a global-ready creative workforce.
  • When paired with its demographic dividend, the world’s largest youth population, India is poised to emerge as a creative superpower.
• U.K.-India Synergies: Institutions, Technology, and Storytelling
  • The POCC enables deep institutional engagement, involving not only ministries and councils but also renowned British cultural institutions such as the British Library, British Museum, and the Science Museum Group.
  • With over 1,700 accredited museums in the U.K., the opportunities for partnership in digitisation, exhibitions, and collaborative events are vast.
  • Additionally, the U.K.’s role in India’s G-20 presidency highlighted its support for cultural priorities through events like Wales in India, which culminated at the 2024 Hornbill Festival in Nagaland.
  • These projects are not merely symbolic but are shaping a new cultural infrastructure that links artists, educators, and audiences.
  • One compelling example of this synergy is Royal Enfield’s Himalayan project, which, in partnership with UNESCO, supports artisan communities and conserves intangible heritage.
  • This model demonstrates how private enterprise can be a powerful cultural actor, merging business, sustainability, and storytelling.

Emerging Challenges and the Road Ahead

• Despite the sector’s momentum, the creative economy faces significant challenges.
• A shortage of skilled labour, insufficient training infrastructure, and the rapid evolution of technology, including Artificial Intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, demand urgent attention.
• Reports such as the British Council’s Arts and Technologies in India: Reimagining the Future advocate for integrating emerging technologies into creative education.
• International cooperation, such as through the POCC, can play a pivotal role in equipping professionals with global competencies and adaptive skills.
• To realise Prime Minister Modi’s vision of India as a global creative hub, a tri-sectoral approach is essential.
• Governments must invest in education and policy frameworks, industries must create sustainable business models, and academic institutions must provide interdisciplinary and future-oriented training.

Conclusion

• The POCC marks more than just a bilateral agreement; it is a cultural compact that reflects the evolving nature of diplomacy in the 21st century, one that values stories, art, and shared heritage as much as strategy and economics.
• In a world fractured by conflict and uncertainty, cultural collaboration offers a powerful tool for connection and healing.
• As India and the U.K. move forward in this new chapter of their relationship, the creative spark that unites their people, from artisans in the Himalayas to curators in London, will not only preserve the past but also shape a shared future of innovation, inclusion, and imagination.