The recent Budget lays a strong foundation for Bharat’s orange aka creative economy, positioning it as a key driver toward the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision. With a focus on youth empowerment, tradition knowledge preservation and a globally competitive creative sector, these provisions aim to make Bharat a leader in the global creative economy.
Strengthening Bharatiya Gyan Parampara
A major initiative in the Budget-2025 is the “Gyan Bharatam Mission”, which will document and conserve over one crore manuscripts through partnerships with academic institutions, museums and private collectors. The establishment of a “National Digital Repository of Indian Knowledge Systems” will facilitate large-scale knowledge sharing. Budgetary allocations for Indian languages have increased to Rs 347.03 crore for 2025-26, marking an 11.91 per cent rise from the previous year. This investment strengthens Bharat’s multilingual creative sector and enhances cultural preservation.
Engine for Growth
Valued at Rs 50,000 crore (US$6.14 billion) in 2019-20, Bharat’s Orange Economy spans 12 domains, including performing arts, crafts, films, AI/VR, and gaming. While COVID-19 reduced its GDP contribution from 2.5 per cent to 1.5 per cent, digital transformation and policy support are set to accelerate its growth. Bharat is already among the top 10 global exporters of creative goods, contributing US$13.8 billion (2.6 per cent of global exports).
A Global Perspective
The Orange Economy includes arts, crafts, films, music, design, architecture, cultural tourism and digital content creation. According to UNCTAD, creative industries employ over 50 million people worldwide, offering salaries 88 per cent higher than non-creative jobs. This sector fosters innovation, strengthens cultural identity, and promotes social inclusion.
For Bharat, this economy enables the integration of traditional knowledge systems with modern economic frameworks, transforming handicrafts, textiles and festivals from informal markets into structured, revenue-generating industries.
Unexploited Cultural Assets
Bharat’s cultural assets encompass:
- 4,000+ traditional crafts
- 2,500+ performing art forms
- 100+ UNESCO-recognised intangible cultural heritage elements
- Diverse languages, festivals, rituals, and natural assets
Cultural Festivals as Economic Catalysts
Cultural festivals drive economic growth via tourism, hospitality, and handicrafts:
- Maha Kumbh Mela 2019 – Attracted 120 million visitors, generating revenue of Rs 1,200 crore for Uttar Pradesh
- Hornbill Festival, Nagaland – Contributes Rs 100 crore annually
- Surajkund Mela – Supports thousands of artisans
Expanding and digitising these festivals can further strengthen Bharat’s global
creative footprint.
Bharat’s traditional knowledge systems—including Ayurveda, handloom weaving, folk medicine, and organic farming—hold vast economic potential. The handloom sector alone employs over 4.3 million people and significantly contributes to exports.
Demographic Advantage and Job Creation
With 10 crore digital natives entering the workforce annually, Bharat can leverage its Orange Economy by:
- Integrating cultural entrepreneurship with technology
- Boosting employment in gaming, animation, and virtual tourism
- Encouraging local businesses in folk art, local products, and heritage tourism
- Forging international cultural collaborations
Dharma Driven Creative Economy
Modern neuroscience confirms that art stimulates cognitive functions linked to empathy and emotional regulation—principles rooted in ancient Bharat. Ancient texts like Natya Shastra provide insights into immersive experiences. AI-driven techniques can reconstruct Shilpa Shastra, preserving temple architecture through VR/AR tourism.
Big data analytics can extract narratives from the ancient repositories, developing content for films and interactive media. Vedantic innovation frameworks can enhance design thinking and problem-solving in creative industries.
Ethnographic research can boost the market for Warli, Gond, and Madhubani art, integrating them into AR/VR apps for global reach. Eco-sustainable craftsmanship—using natural dyes and biodegradable materials—can position Bharat as a leader in sustainable fashion.
Biocultural heritage and tribal healing practices offer new opportunities in wellness tourism and herbal cosmetics, while AI-driven ethnobotanical mapping promotes eco-conscious harvesting.
Bharatiya Kala Vigyan: Science of Bharatiya Art
- AI-powered computational analysis – Digital cataloging of Indian art
- Augmented Reality in Gurukul education – Virtual arts learning experiences
- Sanskrit in computational linguistics – AI-generated literary content
- Astro-informatics in creative planning – Aligning cultural events with data analytics
- Biodesign & ethnobotany – Innovations in sustainable fashion
Integrating Science and Tradition
- Blockchain for provenance – Certifying tribal art authenticity
- AI-driven cultural analytics – Predicting global trends
- Virtual reality festivals – Offering immersive experiences
- Predictive analytics – Understanding consumer preferences in arts and crafts
- Ethnographic AI – Digitally archiving indigenous cultural practices
The Way Forward
Despite its immense potential, Bharat’s Orange Economy faces challenges such as funding gaps, informal sector constraints, and limited technological access.
Solutions include:
- Policy support – Strengthening legal frameworks and financial incentives
- Institutional collaboration – Engaging private and public partnerships
- Skilling initiatives – Enhancing digital and entrepreneurial skills for artisans
By blending ancient wisdom with modern technology, Bharat’s Orange Economy can drive economic growth, preserve cultural heritage, and establish itself as a global leader in the creative economy, aligning with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
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