Cultural diplomacy as an instrument of soft power in India’s foreign policy towards Kazakhstan

Abstract

Cultural diplomacy, which involves promoting Indian culture through exchanges, festivals, language, and education, plays a crucial role in India's strategy in Kazakhstan. This paper explores how India conveys its soft power in Kazakhstan through various cultural initiatives and evaluates their significance for bilateral relations. It focuses on India-Kazakhstan relations in a historical context, highlighting ancient contacts as well as the post-Soviet "Connect Central Asia" policy. The main sections of the paper focus on India's cultural institutions and programs aimed at Kazakhstan, such as the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), cultural centers, yoga initiatives, film screenings, and scholarship opportunities, all supported by embassy efforts. Recent examples of these cultural initiatives include the annual International Yoga Day celebrations, the "Festival of India" in Astana, and various bilateral music and arts festivals. Despite facing infrastructural and geographic challenges, India's cultural diplomacy has fostered goodwill in Kazakhstan. Bollywood films and Hindi music are widely appreciated, and Kazakh artists are increasingly engaging with Indian cultural events. The paper concludes that cultural diplomacy has become an essential component of India's soft power strategy in Kazakhstan, complementing economic and security cooperation.