Culture may not be capable of resolving geopolitical conflicts, but it can help keep channels of communication open between nations, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said at the CNN-News18 BRICS Dialogue.

Shekhawat said India’s approach to BRICS should extend beyond discussions on geopolitics, economic growth and strategic partnerships, with greater attention given to civilisational links, cultural engagement and people-to-people exchanges among member countries.

Culture Can Keep Channels Of Dialogue Open

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s gift of a Russian edition of the Thirukkural to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Shekhawat said the ancient Tamil work conveyed ideas that went beyond literature.

The text, written by Tamil poet and philosopher Thiruvalluvar, carries messages concerning virtues, good governance, humanity and the relationship between people and nature, he said.

Shekhawat said the countries that make up BRICS have distinct and long civilisational histories, making cultural engagement an important dimension of their relationship.

He cautioned, however, against suggesting that cultural exchanges could by themselves resolve active geopolitical conflicts.

“Culture cannot resolve conflicts, but it opens a window for dialogue,” Shekhawat said.

He said India believed that disputes between nations ultimately needed to be addressed through dialogue and engagement, with cultural connections providing an avenue for countries to maintain communication even amid differences.

Tourism Can Strengthen People-To-People Ties

Shekhawat also highlighted tourism as a potential means of building stronger connections between BRICS countries.

Culture, he said, generates curiosity about other societies, while improved connectivity enables people to travel and tourism can transform those encounters into longer-term relationships.

Greater interaction among travellers, artists and cultural communities could help reduce mistrust and improve understanding between societies, particularly among countries that may have political differences, he said.

Such people-to-people engagement could eventually contribute to an environment more conducive to governments addressing their differences.

Shekhawat acknowledged that geopolitical tensions and travel restrictions could make seamless movement between countries difficult. However, he said such challenges should not prevent nations from working towards improving connectivity.

India Pushes For Concrete BRICS Outcomes

The minister said India’s BRICS presidency was also focused on ensuring that discussions at the grouping’s meetings resulted in concrete outcomes rather than being limited to declarations and photographs.

He pointed to tourism discussions held by BRICS countries in Jaipur, where participants agreed on the importance of facilitating smoother travel and increasing the exchange of information, experiences and perspectives.

Shekhawat said institutional mechanisms would be needed to take such initiatives forward and ensure that the outcomes of India’s BRICS presidency continued to have an impact beyond the summit.

Proposal For BRICS Creative Community Repository

Shekhawat also referred to the Bhopal declaration and India’s proposal to establish a repository of artists, artisans, filmmakers and other professionals associated with the creative economy across BRICS countries.

The proposed platform could promote greater interaction and exchange among cultural and creative communities and help strengthen ties between participating nations, he said.

For India, the larger objective is to develop BRICS beyond a forum focused primarily on strategic and economic matters and create greater space for countries to reconnect through their civilisational histories, cultural traditions and people.

Shekhawat said stronger cultural and people-to-people links could complement political and economic engagement, helping BRICS member countries build deeper understanding despite differences on wider geopolitical issues.

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