BY DEBAJYOTI CHAKRABORTY
NEW DELHI | 5 NOVEMBER 2026
In a major push to expand the global footprint of India’s historical legacy, the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Google Arts & Culture to digitise and showcase the country’s vast cultural heritage using state-of-the-art technological tools.
The agreement was formalised during a virtual signing ceremony attended by Shri Vivek Aggarwal, Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, and Mr Amit Sood, Vice President and Founder of Google Arts & Culture.
The expansive digital project is designed to map the multi-layered civilisational history of the nation. It will encapsulate everything from physical monuments and archaeological sites protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to the extensive collections housed within national museums. Furthermore, the initiative will cover India’s extensive manuscript heritage currently being compiled under the Gyan Bharatam initiative, alongside regional crafts, performing arts, and living traditions sustained by various ministry institutions nationwide.
A central highlight of this collaboration is the digital preservation of the upcoming Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum. Currently being constructed across the North and South Blocks of New Delhi, the complex is set to become one of the world’s largest museums dedicated to India’s history across the millennia. The strategic digitisation process will create a comprehensive, permanent digital record of the historic buildings and the invaluable artefacts they are destined to hold, offering the public an early digital window into this monumental cultural undertaking.
According to ministry officials, the partnership aligns with a broader national strategy to enhance public accessibility and modernise its digital framework. A core objective of the rollout is ensuring that India’s heritage can be seamlessly explored across multiple Indian regional languages on any digital device.
The collaborative framework represents a “whole-of-ministry” approach where historical preservation, open public access, and the expansion of India’s creative economy are designed to advance in tandem—successfully uniting institutions of all scales with major cross-sector technology partners.
Shri Vivek Aggarwal, Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, announced a expanded partnership with Google Arts & Culture aimed at documenting, preserving, and sharing India’s rich cultural heritage. This collaboration will leverage technology to make ancient manuscripts, historic monuments, and national museum collections—including the upcoming Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum—accessible globally and in multiple Indian languages.
Building on a long-standing relationship, Google Arts & Culture continues its work with key ministry institutions like the Archaeological Survey of India, the National Museum, and the National Gallery of Modern Art to bring India’s civilisational history to a wider audience.
Amit Sood, Vice President and Founder of Google Arts & Culture, highlighted that the platform has drawn deep inspiration from India’s rich history of storytelling, artistic excellence, and vast heritage for the last 15 years. He noted that their collaboration with the Ministry of Culture underscores a mutual dedication to safeguarding India’s historical treasures through advanced technology. Whether by contributing to the upcoming Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum or digitising ancient manuscripts, Google Arts & Culture aims to connect historical heritage with modern accessibility. Ultimately, this partnership ensures these collections remain openly accessible to educate, inspire, and engage curious minds globally.
The MoU reinforces the Ministry’s dedication to safeguarding India’s civilisational heritage, boosting its creative economy through long-term partnerships, and promoting its culture to vast domestic and international audiences.
Advertisement:
Add Comment