India and France Collaborate on Manuscript Digitisation
On October 26, 2026, India and France signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on the digitisation and preservation of Indian-origin manuscripts. This partnership, part of the Gyan Bharatam Mission, focuses on five areas including technology exchange and research, aiming to improve accessibility and conservation of these cultural treasures.
India and France entered into an agreement on October 26, 2026, to better preserve and share manuscripts of Indian origin. In Paris, Vivek Aggarwal, Secretary of India's Ministry of Culture, and Gilles Pécout, President of the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Working under the Gyan Bharatam Mission, the two nations will coordinate on digitisation, conservation, and research, marking a new phase of international cooperation for cultural heritage.
The Gyan Bharatam Mission is an initiative by India’s Ministry of Culture to document, conserve, and share the country's manuscript heritage. This new MoU focuses on five specific areas: digitising manuscripts, sharing them through India's National Digital Repository, exchanging technology, improving conservation practices, and developing research. The partnership aims to make it easier to study and protect manuscripts, especially those currently held in France, which will provide more resources for researchers around the world.
Several institutions will carry out the work, including the National Archives of India and the National Library in Kolkata, alongside the BnF. These organisations will collaborate to identify and digitise manuscripts while sharing preservation techniques and setting standards for cataloguing and text recognition. Plans are also in place for joint workshops and scholar exchanges, creating an active academic environment centered on Indian manuscripts.
The benefits of this partnership go beyond physical preservation. By making historical documents easier to access, the project encourages deeper academic research and cultural exchange. It protects India's manuscript heritage while also helping people worldwide understand Indian knowledge systems. This sharing of information and technology is expected to create a more connected scholarly community with lasting educational benefits.
This agreement provides a foundation for future cultural heritage projects between India and France. The expected results include better digital access to historical records and more stable international research partnerships. The initiative highlights a growing awareness of the need to protect cultural heritage through cooperation, ensuring that India’s manuscript legacy is available for future generations on a global scale.
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