The Ministry of Culture, Government of India, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Google Arts & Culture to digitise and expand public access to the country’s cultural heritage. The partnership will use digital technologies to document, preserve and showcase India’s monuments, archaeological sites, museum collections, manuscripts, traditional crafts and performing arts to audiences in India and across the world.
The agreement was signed during a virtual ceremony on November 5, 2026, in the presence of Shri Vivek Aggarwal, Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, and Amit Sood, Vice President and Founder of Google Arts & Culture.
The collaboration will cover heritage sites and collections managed by various institutions under the Ministry of Culture. These include monuments protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), national museum collections, manuscripts being documented through the Gyan Bharatam initiative, and traditional crafts, performing arts and cultural practices supported by the Ministry’s institutions.
Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum to Be Digitised Under Partnership
A major focus of the collaboration will be the upcoming Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum, which is being developed in New Delhi’s North and South Blocks.
Envisioned as a museum documenting India’s history across different periods, the institution will undergo digitisation to create a lasting digital record of its historic buildings and artefacts. The initiative will also provide the public with an opportunity to explore its collections and cultural significance before the museum is fully established.
Beyond the museum, the partnership aims to make India’s cultural heritage more accessible through digital platforms. The initiative will support access to heritage resources in Indian languages and across different devices, allowing wider audiences to explore the country’s cultural collections.
The Ministry described the agreement as part of a broader effort to integrate preservation, public accessibility and the development of India’s creative economy through collaborations involving cultural institutions and technology partners.
Google Arts & Culture Expands Its Collaboration With Indian Institutions
Google Arts & Culture has previously worked with several institutions under the Ministry of Culture, including the Archaeological Survey of India, the National Museum and the National Gallery of Modern Art. These collaborations have helped introduce their collections to wider audiences through digital platforms.
Commenting on the latest agreement, Shri Vivek Aggarwal highlighted the importance of using technology to preserve India’s cultural legacy and make it accessible to people across geographical boundaries.
“India’s cultural heritage is a living inheritance. It belongs to every citizen and speaks to the whole world. Our partnership with Google Arts & Culture brings technology to bear on documenting, preserving and sharing that inheritance, from our ancient manuscripts and monuments to the collections of our national museums and the upcoming Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum. By making these treasures available in Indian languages and to audiences across the globe, we hope to bring more people closer to the story of Indian civilisation, and to safeguard it for generations to come.”
Amit Sood, Vice President and Founder of Google Arts & Culture, also emphasised the organisation’s long-standing engagement with India’s cultural heritage and the role of technology in preserving historical collections.
“For the past 15 years, Google Arts & Culture has been deeply inspired by India’s millennia of storytelling, artistic mastery and vast heritage. Our partnership with the Ministry of Culture represents a shared commitment to preserve India’s timeless treasures with the help of cutting-edge technologies. Whether supporting the vision for the Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum or preserving historic manuscripts, we are honoured to deploy our technologies to bridge ancient heritage with modern accessibility, making these collections freely discoverable to educate, inspire, and delight curious minds everywhere.”
Partnership Aims to Improve Global Access to Indian Heritage
The agreement reflects the Ministry of Culture’s efforts to strengthen digital preservation and expand access to India’s historical and cultural resources.
By bringing together government institutions and digital technology platforms, the initiative will focus on documenting historical collections, preserving manuscripts and monuments, and showcasing India’s diverse artistic and cultural traditions.
The collaboration also aims to make these resources freely discoverable to audiences worldwide, creating opportunities for people to explore India’s cultural heritage through digital platforms.
The Ministry said the partnership reinforces its commitment to preserving the country’s civilisational legacy, supporting the creative economy and sharing India’s cultural resources with wider audiences in India and abroad.
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