6th World Nomad Games and India's Central Asia Outreach

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Key takeaways

India's Prime Minister attended the opening ceremony of the 6th World Nomad Games in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, strengthening ties with Central Asia.
Established via the 2012 Bishkek Declaration, this UN-recognized biennial cultural and sports event now attracts participants from 90+ countries.
India fielded a record 87-member contingent competing in traditional sports like Kurash, Goresh, and Kok Boru, which gained UNESCO intangible heritage status in 2017.
Cultural engagement at the games serves India's broader strategic interests, including regional security, energy supply, and the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).

India's Prime Minister attended the opening ceremony of the 6th World Nomad Games held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
This high-level visit highlights India's growing cultural, diplomatic, and strategic outreach toward the Central Asia region.

The event was established through the 2012 Bishkek Declaration signed by Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkey to safeguard nomadic heritage.
First organized in 2014, these games have evolved into a UN-recognized biennial event for intercultural dialogue involving 90+ countries across Central Asia, Türkiye, and Kazakhstan.

Unlike the regular Olympic Games, this international event prioritizes ancient civilizational heritage over geopolitical competition.
Participating nations gather to preserve traditional survival skills, including horseback riding, falconry, and native styles of wrestling.

The sports segment features ancestral athletic and tactical games like Kok Boru, Kurash, Goresh, Mongol Bokh, archery, and Toguz Korgool.
The cultural segment showcases local music, artisan crafts, food traditions, and festivals under a project inscribed on the UNESCO Register of Good Safeguarding Practices.
The scientific segment focuses on academic research into nomadic history, preservation of traditional knowledge, and cross-cultural dialogue.

India fielded a record 87-member contingent to compete in traditional combat and strategy disciplines.
Indian athletes participated in traditional events including Kurash, Goresh, Mongol Bokh, Kok Boru, and Toguz Korgool.
The traditional horseback sport Kok Boru resembles polo and was inscribed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2017.

Participating in these games acts as a soft power diplomacy tool to strengthen bilateral ties with Central Asian countries.
It supports key security goals, including regional stability after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan and counterbalancing China in the region.
This strategic engagement helps secure long-term energy supplies and advances connectivity projects like the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).