India and Russia have signed a Cultural Exchange Programme – 2007-2009 (CEP) during the recent visit of Russian President, Mr. Vladimir Putin to India. The Programme was signed by the Minister of Tourism and Culture, Smt. Ambika Soni and Minister of Culture and Tourism, Russia Mr. Alexander Sokolov.

According to the CEP, both the countries will render assistance in exchanging folklore, musical, theatre, ballet, circus groups and individual performers for participation in tours, festivals and other cultural events and will work towards development of cooperation in the field of fine arts, exchange of art exhibitions and works of folk art, as well as delegations of painters, handicraftsmen, art critics, experts in traditional folk art. Russian libraries including Russian State Library will exchange on reciprocal basis, publications and other reading materials of mutual interest with the National Library of Kolkata, India.

The two countries will assist in exchanging visit of library experts reciprocally with a view to promoting library activities in the Russian federation and the Republic of India and will exchange visits of curators/conservators of the museums for a period not exceeding 10 days. Moreover, they will continue to render assistance to Russian and Indian experts for joint studies of the heritage of the Roerich family, its popularization and publication of the results of research and archive material. Russia and India will regularly exchange information about the international book fairs held in both countries. Both the countries have agreed to hold the Year of Russia in India in 2008 and the Year of India in Russia in 2009.

Cooperation in the field of TV and radio on the basis of arrangements between companies and organizations of the two countries will be assisted by the two governments. They will also exchange text books, publications and audiovisual material in the field of high school education. Joint exhibitions, seminars, research programmes and publications in the field of high school education will also be organised. Both the countries will organize training programmes for educational administrators and teachers.

Finally they will encourage exchange of visits of lecturers of Hindi language and literature, as well as teachers of other Indian languages and of Russian language and literature on mutually beneficial terms. The countries will cooperate in preparation of books and audio-visual aids designed for teaching of Hindi and other Indian languages and Russian language. Both the countries will assist the development of bilateral contacts and exchanges in the fields of higher professional education, science and research between higher educational institutions of the countries. The Institute for Scientific Information in Social Sciences, Russian Academy of Sciences will continue exchange of scientific literature with the National Library of India, libraries of leading universities and research centres on social sciences and humanities. Both the countries will promote youth exchange programmes to study and get acquainted with each other’s youth related programmes, policies and institutions and to participate in youth festivals/camps on a reciprocal basis.