Iran and India held discussions on closer tourism interaction, enhancing air connectivity, private sector partnership, joint UNESCO nominations, and the development of medical tourism.
On Friday, Iranian Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Seyed Reza Salehi-Amiri met with Indian Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. The meeting took place during the third BRICS Tourism Ministers' meeting in India. The main objective of the talks was to determine ways to transform the long-standing cultural and civilizational ties between the two countries into practical tourism cooperation.
Salehi-Amiri noted that Iran and India possess deep historical and civilizational ties, which serve as an important foundation for expanding bilateral relations, according to IRNA agency. He mentioned his visit to Mashhad, where he saw mosques and schools related to the historical presence of Indians, emphasizing that such places demonstrate the depth of contact between the peoples.
The minister also drew attention to the historical presence of the Persian language and culture in India, as well as the use of words with Iranian roots, calling these connections evidence of a shared historical and civilizational sphere. Salehi-Amiri stated that Iran and India cooperate not only bilaterally but also through multilateral structures, including BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, urging the use of these platforms to deepen interaction.
Despite significant cultural and economic ties, Salehi-Amiri observed that tourism cooperation between Iran and India has not yet reached a level commensurate with their broader relationship. As a first step, he proposed developing and signing a memorandum of tourism cooperation, followed by creating joint mechanisms to turn the agreement into concrete programs and projects. Furthermore, Salehi-Amiri officially invited Shekhawat and his colleagues to visit Iran.
Another priority was improving air links and resuming or expanding flights between the two states. The minister noted the potential for increasing tourist flows in both directions due to cultural similarities. The Iranian minister emphasized that private sector cooperation should be at the heart of bilateral tourism ties, calling for closer integration of travel agencies, hotels, tour operators, airlines, and other participants in the tourism supply chain.
The two ministers also discussed the possibility of jointly nominating cultural heritage sites to global UNESCO lists. Salehi-Amiri suggested that Iran and India could identify common cultural elements, historical routes, and heritage, and then prepare additional joint dossiers for nomination. Medical tourism was named another area with great potential. Salehi-Amiri referred to India's experience and infrastructure in this sector, as well as its competitive medical services, noting that Iran also possesses considerable capabilities and experience in healthcare.
He proposed an exchange of knowledge and experience to develop joint initiatives in this field. For his part, Shekhawat welcomed Iran's participation in BRICS tourism mechanisms, including working groups and ministerial meetings, and stated Iran's important role in the bloc's tourism cooperation. He also supported Salehi-Amiri's remarks at the BRICS Tourism Ministers' meeting regarding the concept of coexistence, stating that the world needs such an approach more than ever.
Shekhawat confirmed the undeniable depth and longevity of the cultural and historical bonds between Iran and India, calling for transforming these ties into new and practical forms of cooperation. He endorsed Iran's proposal for a tourism memorandum and stated that both countries should prepare the document and then implement cooperation through specific programs. Shekhawat also offered India's assistance in the restoration, preservation, and publication of historical manuscripts and written heritage common to both countries. He suggested that Iranian experts visit India to assess restoration needs and work with Indian specialists on protecting and publishing these manuscripts.
The Indian minister also suggested that under appropriate circumstances, parts of this shared written heritage could be considered for joint UNESCO nomination, allowing the countries' civilizational ties to gain wider international recognition. Shekhawat noted that millions of Indians travel to places like Thailand, the United States, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates, but stressed the need for efforts to encourage travel to countries with closer cultural and civilizational ties to India. He specifically urged Indian tourists to visit Iran and learn about its historical and cultural connections with India.
The Indian minister also responded positively to Iran's proposal to promote cooperation along the ancient Spice Route, calling it a potential project to connect the historical, cultural, and tourism resources of the two countries. Shekhawat further supported Iran's efforts to increase UNESCO registrations, stating that countries with rich heritage and large civilizations should not limit themselves to a small number of annual entries. Given India's vast population and geographical scale, he also expressed the country's desire to secure a larger share of global heritage listings and its readiness to work with countries like Iran to advance this issue in UNESCO with a unified voice.