Why in News
🗞️ Why in News
In early July 2026, India and Kyrgyzstan established an International Centre for Civilizational Studies in Bishkek that pairs the Kyrgyz national epic Manas with the Mahabharata, and released the first-ever Hindi translation of the Manas epic.
What Was Announced
The new International Centre for Civilizational Studies in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, is designed as a shared space for scholarship that reads the two nations’ great epics alongside one another. By pairing the Manas with the Mahabharata, the centre frames the India-Kyrgyzstan relationship not merely in terms of trade and security but as a meeting of two ancient civilizational traditions.
The launch was accompanied by the release of the first-ever Hindi translation of the Manas epic, a milestone in cultural exchange that makes one of Central Asia’s foundational texts accessible to Hindi readers for the first time. Such translation projects are a concrete instrument of soft-power diplomacy, building people-to-people familiarity that outlasts any single agreement.
The Two Epics
| Feature | Manas | Mahabharata |
|---|---|---|
| Tradition | Kyrgyz national epic | Indian itihasa (epic) |
| Attributed to | Oral bardic tradition (manaschis) | Sage Vyasa |
| Distinction | Among the world’s longest epics | Longest known epic poem |
| Recognition | UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage | Core text of Indian civilization |
| Theme | Unity and identity of the Kyrgyz people | Dharma, duty and human conflict |
Understanding the Manas
The Manas is the national epic of the Kyrgyz people and one of the longest epic poems in the world. Passed down through an oral tradition of reciters known as manaschis, it narrates the deeds of the hero Manas and his descendants and functions as a repository of Kyrgyz history, language and identity. The epic is inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, recognition of both its scale and its living oral transmission.
Pairing it with the Mahabharata, traditionally attributed to Sage Vyasa, invites comparison between two civilizations that each encoded their moral and political imagination in a vast narrative poem. This shared epic sensibility gives the centre a natural intellectual foundation.
Cultural Diplomacy as Soft Power
Soft power is the ability to shape outcomes through attraction and persuasion rather than coercion, and culture is among its most durable sources. By investing in a civilizational-studies centre and epic translation, India signals that its Central Asia engagement rests on more than transactional interests. Cultural diplomacy of this kind builds goodwill, deepens academic and civil-society links, and creates a reservoir of trust that supports harder cooperation on energy, connectivity and security.
India’s Connect Central Asia Policy
The initiative fits India’s broader Connect Central Asia approach, which seeks to rebuild historic links with a region tied to India by centuries of trade and cultural exchange along the old Silk Road. Key strands include:
- The India-Central Asia Summit format, which has convened leaders since 2022, institutionalising engagement with all five Central Asian republics.
- The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), a multi-modal route linking India, Iran, Central Asia and Russia that offers a shorter alternative to traditional sea lanes.
- Cooperation on energy, security and connectivity, areas where Central Asia’s resources and location complement India’s needs.
India-Kyrgyzstan Ties
Within this framework, Kyrgyzstan is a long-standing partner. The two countries cooperate on defence and counter-terrorism, share membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, and have steadily expanded educational and cultural exchange, with many Indian students studying in Kyrgyz institutions. The civilizational centre adds a cultural pillar to a relationship that already spans security and connectivity, reinforcing India’s presence in a strategically located region where several major powers compete for influence.
Analysis and Way Forward
The Manas-Mahabharata centre is a small but telling example of how India can differentiate its Central Asia outreach from that of larger economic players. Its value will depend on follow-through: sustained funding, genuine scholarly exchange, and translation projects in both directions so the flow of ideas is mutual rather than one-sided. Coupling such cultural initiatives with tangible progress on the INSTC and energy partnerships would give India’s Central Asia policy both depth and reach, turning civilizational affinity into strategic partnership.
UPSC Relevance
GS Paper 1: Indian culture and its links with the wider world; salient features of world’s physical geography and cultural heritage. GS Paper 2: India and its neighbourhood; bilateral and regional groupings involving India; effect of policies of developed and developing countries on India’s interests.
Prelims pointers:
- The Manas is the Kyrgyz national epic and among the world’s longest, on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
- Bishkek is the capital of Kyrgyzstan.
- The Mahabharata is traditionally attributed to Sage Vyasa.
- The India-Central Asia Summit format has convened since 2022.
- The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) links India, Iran, Central Asia and Russia.
Mains question: “Cultural diplomacy is increasingly central to India’s engagement with Central Asia. Examine how civilizational and soft-power initiatives complement India’s strategic and connectivity interests in the region.” (15 marks, 250 words)
Facts Corner
📌 Facts Corner, Knowledgepedia
- Manas: Kyrgyz national epic, among the world’s longest; on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
- Mahabharata: traditionally attributed to Sage Vyasa.
- New centre: International Centre for Civilizational Studies, Bishkek.
- Milestone: first-ever Hindi translation of the Manas released.
- Bishkek: capital of Kyrgyzstan.
- India-Central Asia Summit: running since 2022.
- INSTC: links India, Iran, Central Asia and Russia.
Sources: Ministry of External Affairs, Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Times of India
Source: India and Kyrgyzstan Set Up Manas-Mahabharata Civilizational Centre — Ujiyari.com | Free UPSC & State PCS Current Affairs
