India’s civilizational diplomacy strategically uses age-old knowledge, including spiritual ideals, intellectual traditions, and pluralistic principles, to exercise geocultural impact on contemporary international affairs. “This strategy incorporates ideas from India’s rich past, such as Sarva-dharma-sambhāva (“equal respect for all faiths”) and VasudhaivaKutumbakam (“the world is one family”), with modern diplomacy, international discourse, and soft power campaigns” (Srinivasan,2025:398).
The Upanishadic, Vedic and Buddhist philosophies strongly emphasise the concept of harmony, moral humanism, international collaboration and cooperation. These values are the core foundation of India’s civilizational ethos, and they reflect in India’s diplomacy. “From Ashoka’s advocacy of Buddhism as a transnational concept to modern initiatives like the International Day of Yoga and Ayurveda’s global outreach, these ideals have historical parallels” (Srinivasan,2025:400). The circulation of Yoga, Ayurveda and spiritual tourism exemplifies India’s reconceptualisation traditions as a part of international identity formation.
The annual celebration of International Day of Yoga, supported by the United Nations, promoted at the global order, which is rooted in ancient Indian philosophy, while also uplifting India’s prestige and goodwill” (Halsana,2025:288). These initiatives are not only cultural exchanges but are positioned as universal remedies for global ailments. India presents itself as a morally powerful player that can provide inclusive frameworks for international governance and conflict resolution by emphasising long-standing customs. The Modi government’s formulation of “VasudhaivaKutumbakam” (The Earth is One Family) as a global motto, which has further weighed upon civilizational narrations to the forefront of official diplomatic relations.
Ancient Philosophies and Modern Diplomacy
India’s civilizational diplomatic approach in the 21st century is exceptionally structured by its ancient philosophical and cultural practices, which have endured to provide both theoretical and practical structure for engagements with the global society. The convergence of philosophy and policy is not coincidental; rather, it is the outcome of conscious attempts to convert traditional ethical concepts, cosmological perspectives, and pluralistic practices into significant stances in global affairs. Current modern diplomatic relations are highly derived from Hindu, Buddhist and Jain traditions and practices.
The Indian texts, such as The Arthashastra, written by Kautilya in the 3rd century BCE, demonstrate the strategic insight inherited in Mandala Theory” (Srinivasan,2025:399). It is used to explain the concepts like allies & rivals of a state at the national and international level. Another concept, which is the core foundation of Indian civilizational diplomacy, is Ahinsa, the principle of non-violence adopted by the Jains and later on by Buddhism and Hinduism; it has a continual impact on India’s peace-building initiatives and humanitarian endeavours. Mahatma Gandhi is credited with reviving ahimsa as the cornerstone of India’s anti-colonial movement and later diplomatic theory, positioning India as a global leader in nonviolent conflict resolution.
In multilateral diplomacy, these civilizational values are vigorously emphasised. India’s foreign policy dialogues at forums such as the United Nations, G20, and BRICS are marked by specific references to Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, a theory which elevates universal kinship and a cooperative global unity.
“India’s emphasis on ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’ at the recent G20 summit exemplifies this endeavour to globalise indigenous philosophical ideals while matching them with present needs for ethical globalisation and climate justice” (Halsana,2025:289). India’s current diplomatic philosophy is defined by a dynamic interaction between its long-standing moral traditions and the demands of modern soft power diplomacy.
Soft Power and The Role of Cultural Institutions
Through cultural institutions and strategic initiatives, India’s soft power, which is closely related to its civilisational legacy, plays a crucial role in determining the nation’s geocultural influence. Soft power is based on appeal, persuasion, and voluntary emulation; it is frequently achieved through cultural projection, shared historical experiences, and beliefs, in contrast to hard power, which depends on coercion and material resources.
India’s intellectual traditions, which are based on challenging discussions, tolerance, and normative ethics, influence distinctive approaches to peace talks and conflict de-escalation (such as India’s position on the Middle East and Ukraine). “Joseph Nye popularised the idea of ‘soft power,’ arguing that countries may accomplish their geopolitical objectives without resorting to economic or military force by luring people in with cultural appeal, ideology, and values” (Thussu,2016:420). India’s deep intellectual, theological, and artistic traditions allow it to use this kind of power in its civilizational diplomacy. India’s soft power arsenal includes things like yoga, Ayurveda, Indian food, classical arts, film, and literature.
India’s cultural institutions are essential tools of soft power since they use international engagement, art, and diplomacy to spread the country’s culture and ideals. The institutions like the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) elevate India’s civilizational reach by arranging scholarships to foreign students, organising international festivals, exhibitions and cultural exchanges across the nations. Similarly, “The Ministry of External Affairs and its Public Policy Division develops heritage diplomacy, educational cooperation’s and conducts research programs in the specialised areas of Yoga, Ayurveda and Sanskrit” (Deka, 2024: 256). Apart from it, Programs for the diaspora, such as the “Know India Program and Pravasi Bharatiya Divas” (PIB India, 2025: Online), enhance cultural identity and turn sentimental bonds into strategic alliances. Indian cinema and literature, from Bollywood to global literary festivals, project India’s narratives as universally relatable.
Meanwhile, India’s advocacy in UNESCO and heritage restoration underscores its role as a global guardian of cultural legacy. India consistently projects its civilizational ideals, cultivates goodwill, and creates strong connections with other countries through coordinated operations across these cultural organisations. These initiatives are essential to India’s geocultural influence and the effectiveness of its soft power diplomacy since they are based on both modern innovation and long-standing tradition.
Conclusion
India’s civilizational diplomacy is a powerful illustration of how traditional knowledge may function as a strategic asset and moral compass in a world that is becoming more and more multipolar. India’s approach goes beyond cultural nostalgia to provide a dynamic, changing model of interaction with the modern global order. It is based on millennia-old traditions of pluralism, philosophical reasoning, and ethical governance. It shows a continuity between the Gandhian concept of nonviolence, the Buddhist ethos of compassion, and the Vedic principles of balance with nature, all of which are still extremely pertinent for tackling the ethical and environmental issues of the twenty-first century.
This concept appears as a distinct kind of civilizational diplomacy in the field of international affairs, emphasising cultural reciprocity over coercive influence and dialogue over dominance. India’s story promotes a global order that honours many centres of power, culture, and knowledge while highlighting the coexistence of diversity. Such an approach is consistent with the new multipolar structure of world politics, which calls for the replacement of unilateral paradigms of power and materialism with cooperation, shared responsibility, and sustainable prosperity.
India’s ancient philosophical heritage provides resources for restoration as humanity struggles with technological instability, moral disintegration, and climate concerns. Ideas like vasudhaivakutumbakam (the world as one family), sarvodaya (universal upliftment), and dharma (righteous duty) offer enduring frameworks for balancing moral principles with international government. In this way, India’s civilizational diplomacy is a forward-looking vision of world peace that aims to strike a balance between innovation and tradition, spirituality and science, national identity and environmental responsibility.
References
· Thussu, D. K. (2019). The soft power of popular cinema–the case of India. In Emerging powers in international politics (pp. 81-95). Routledge.
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