Unlocking soft power with Saptadhara

The Indian Express reports on the introduction of Saptadhara, a concept introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 15 from the Red Fort. Saptadhara aims to harness India's seven streams of national strength, with a focus on soft power as a means to influence others through admiration rather than coercion. The report highlights various aspects of India's soft power, including its historical heritage, cultural diversity, spiritual traditions, and global reputation in areas such as yoga, Ayurveda, literature, music, dance, cinema, cuisine, handicrafts, and the creative economy.

However, the report also notes that India lacks a coherent system to convert its cultural assets into influence, economic value, and sustainable livelihoods. To address this gap, the report proposes a district-level soft power and creative economy plan that identifies local artists, artisans, writers, and cultural workers, connects them to training, technology, finance, intellectual property protection, markets, and international opportunities, and empowers them to earn regular incomes through various sectors such as tourism, arts, media, and the creative economy.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Indian Express's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.