Long overshadowed by the global fame of chicken tikka masala, the country now wants the world to taste the breadth of its culinary identity – from the slow-simmering richness of dal makhani to the seaside heat of Chettinad spices. Officials are preparing an ambitious plan to transform India’s vast regional cuisines into a coherent global brand that can influence how the country is perceived.
Building on how Italy turned pizza and pasta into cultural ambassadors, and how Korean and Mediterranean dishes swept international menus, India is poised to move forward.
Think biryanis and dosas as a mainstay at the world’s food festivals; large Indian restaurants abroad hosting chef collaborations; and a standard playbook that ensures a packaged dal or pulao tastes unmistakably “Indian” anywhere in the world.
The goal is simple, if audacious: to make Indian cuisine not just popular, but globally legible – and thereby elevate India’s position on the world stage.
Popular Indian dishes like dal makhani, various biryanis, staples like dosa and idli, traditional sweets and a range of regional items will be positioned as contemporary and appealing to international palates, according to two food industry ministry officials.
“We also plan to identify popular regional dishes that can be adapted into ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook formats for global markets,” said the first of the two officials, both of whom asked not to be identified.
The official added that the southern states offer distinctive favorites such as Chettinad chicken, Hyderabadi haleem, Malabar biryani, gongura curry and Mangalorean ghee roast, all of which have a strong regional identity.
Apart from dal makhani and butter chicken, “Dishes like rogan josh, yakhni pulao and awadhi biryani from the northern region also have a wide appeal and if standardized properly can represent the authentic taste of India internationally,” the official added.
According to the co-founder of Chatti, the Kerala restaurant that opened in downtown New York earlier this year, the push for international cuisine is well-timed. “Indian cuisines have so many hidden treasures that need to be shown to the world,” said Chef Regi Mathew. “We serve kappa (tapioca) and red fish curry, sardines, appams, duck curry… We haven’t diluted the original recipes. Our food is a flavor bomb, it’s spicy, not pungent.” Chatti’s clientele employs Mathew, and he says the business was on track to break even two years ago, widely considered a milestone of financial health among New York restaurants.
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Chatti’s clientele employs Regi Mathew, who says the business was on track to break even two years ago, widely considered a milestone for financial health among New York restaurants.
Food-culture-nation connection
At the heart of the government’s plan is participation in major global food festivals including Taste of London, Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, Dubai Food Festival and Singapore Food Festival to popularize these dishes and further expand the international reach of Indian cuisine, the first official said.
Food has always been an effective tool for soft diplomacy, even when nations overlook it, a foreign affairs expert said. “When a country’s cuisine becomes familiar on dining tables across continents, its culture becomes more accessible and its identity more recognisable,” said Dattesh Parulekar, Assistant Professor of International Relations, Goa University.
“If India can standardize quality and build a strong global brand for its cuisine, it will not only boost exports but deepen cultural ties and strengthen the country’s soft power footprint in a way that traditional diplomacy cannot,” he added.
Harmonizing India’s international identity is an urgent need today, according to Haresh Karamchandani, Managing Director (MD) and Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO), HyFun Foods. India “is poised in terms of its rich and diverse cuisines that can leave an impact at the global level. A standardized framework will not only enhance international awareness of Indian flavors but also build greater trust and recall,” he said.
The move to standardize comes at a time when packaged Indian food is seeing a surge in global demand. India’s finished goods (RTE) and ready-to-cook (RTC) exports rose to $1.69 billion in 2024-25 from $1.52 billion in the previous fiscal, commerce ministry data showed. For the first five months of 2025-26 (April to August 0), it jumped to $1.60 billion.
The main export destinations of RTE Indian Foods are USA, UK, UAE, Canada, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Germany, Japan and Netherlands, among others.
“We are also working to help traders register patents for their specialty food products and secure GI marks to improve their acceptance and visibility in international markets,” said a second official.
GI or GI labels indicate the origin of the product, such as champagne and basmati rice, among others.
There are plans to participate in major global food festivals such as Taste of London, Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, Dubai Food Festival and Singapore Food Festival, said a ministry official.
Handbook of tourism
Food packaging companies said the government’s move is well in line with market trends. RTE and RTC formats are “no longer seen as shortcuts, but as smart, convenience-based solutions that help households save time while still enjoying the comfort and security of home cooking,” said Ayush Gupta, head of domestic at KRBL, the majority basmati rice company. He expects a “growing belief that convenience does not have to come at the expense of quality or authentic taste” in international markets.
Shows like MasterChef Australia will go a long way in amplifying India’s intention to use food as a soft-drive tool, a branding expert said. “India can amplify its culinary influence globally by leading with rich regional authenticity. Content is key,” said Nidhi Gupta, an independent brand consultant based in Delhi.
The plan to participate in food industry conferences and festivals has precedent for how the country has grown in international tourism over the past two decades. What began as an ‘Incredible India’ campaign created by advertising agency Ogilvy & Mather in 2002, focusing on various aspects of Indian culture, destinations, yoga and spirituality, soon grew into a full-fledged international marketing and communications outreach aimed at global travelers.
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In a column last year, the former G20 sherpa and Niti Aayog CEO talked about the potential of Indian chefs abroad serving as ambassadors for India. “India must tap into this formidable resource by associating with these chefs to promote Indian food through curated events and festivals,” Kant wrote. (PTI)
The marketing push, which included participation in international tourism conferences, electrified inbound tourism. International tourist arrivals rose from 1.52 million in 2021 to 6.43 million in 2022, 9.52 million in 2023 and nearly 10 million (9.95 million) in 2024, government data showed.
The contribution of tourism was not limited to the contribution to the national income. Industry body the World Travel & Tourism Council estimates that overseas visitors spent a record ₹3.1 trillion in 2024, surpassing the pre-pandemic peak of 2019 by 9%.
Expenditure on the international promotion of India as a destination used to be in the order of tens of millions of crowns, although it has been declining in recent years. In 2023-24, the allocation was under this head ₹51 crore, which fell to ₹33 crore in FY 2025. The allocation for this financial year is ₹3.07 million.
The take-Indian-foods-global plan is in the conceptual stage, with discussions still underway to earmark funds for training and incentives under the new initiative, the second official quoted earlier said.
Authenticity, chef focus
Another goal of the government push is to keep dishes from all four major Indian regions – north, south, east and west – as authentic as possible when served in Indian restaurants abroad and in collaboration with chefs.
That part of the plan includes involving chefs in meal preparation and menu development, with the ministry examining possible incentive structures and support mechanisms, the first official said.
The global success of pizza and pasta offers a template for how Indian cuisine can expand globally, a food expert said. “Italian food has become mainstream globally not only through migration but also through strategic moves including standardized recipes, consistent quality across outlets, affordable prices, easily replicable formats and strong global restaurant chain branding,” said chef Sanjeev Verma, who is president of the industry group Chef Association of Five Rivers and operates a chain of Pashtun restaurants.
Experts say India’s attempt to build a global cuisine identity mirrors strategies adopted by Italy, Japan and Korea, where branding has helped bring national dishes to an international platform. Chefs believe India has a similar opportunity with its cuisine hitting high notes of late: Semma, a New York Michelin-starred South Indian restaurant, has taken the top spot. 1 on The New York Times’ 2025 list of the city’s 100 best restaurants. It is the first Indian restaurant to top the list.
“To promote Indian cuisine, the government needs to help entrepreneurs set up authentic Indian restaurants around the world. Also, the government should look beyond celebrity chefs to promote this cuisine,” said award-winning chef Manish Mehrotra.
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Award-winning chef Manish Mehrotra said the government must help entrepreneurs to set up authentic Indian restaurants around the world. (X/@manishmehrotra)
In a column last year, Amitabh Kant, former Indian G-20 Sherpa and CEO of government think tank Niti Aayog, highlighted the power of chefs with roots in India who are spreading Indian cuisine to several parts of the world. “All over the world, countless Indian chefs have traveled abroad…and become culinary personalities. India must tap into this formidable resource by working with these chefs to promote Indian food through curated events and festivals…Indian chefs abroad can serve as valued ambassadors for their nation,” Kant he wrote.
Kant was one of the first bureaucrats to work on India’s tourism campaigns and international marketing push.
Queries sent to the spokesperson of the food processing ministry and several major players in the segment such as ITC Foods, MTR Foods, Haldiram Ethnic Foods and Gits Foods remained unanswered till press time.
