India is planning an AI-powered global engagement platform to deepen connect with 55 million diaspora and “friends” of India. In a major push to strengthen India’s outreach to its global diaspora and international
well-wishers, the Narendra Modi government is planning to launch INDIQO (India Quiz Global Outreach) – an AI-powered digital platform aimed at transforming the government’s flagship Bharat Ko Janiye (BKJ) Quiz into a year-round engagement initiative.
According to a document seen by CNN-News18, the platform is designed to connect with an estimated 55 million people worldwide, including over 35 million Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs/OCIs), along with nearly 20 million foreign nationals “who have an interest in India, its culture and its growing global role”.
Officials believe this vast overseas community represents one of India’s strongest soft-power assets, with the potential to boost investment, tourism, cultural exchanges and academic collaborations. However, the document argues that existing engagement has remained limited because it relies largely on periodic events rather than continuous interaction.
The proposal comes after the success of the 2024 edition of the Bharat Ko Janiye Quiz, which attracted over 1.08 lakh participants from 203 countries and territories — the widest global participation since the initiative was launched in 2015. Despite that achievement, the ministry notes that the figure represents only a tiny fraction of the potential audience, highlighting the need for a more engaging and permanent digital ecosystem.
Unlike the current quiz, which is conducted periodically, INDIQO is envisioned as an always-on, mobile-first edutainment platform operating round the clock. Users will be able to participate in quizzes, crosswords, puzzles, word games, interactive learning modules, fact cards and live competitions centred on India’s history, culture, heritage, scientific achievements and contemporary development.
The annual Bharat Ko Janiye Quiz will continue as the platform’s flagship event but will become part of a much larger engagement strategy rather than being its sole offering.
The government also plans to integrate other flagship diaspora initiatives – including the Know India Programme (KIP), the Scholarship Programme for Diaspora Children (SPDC) and the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) – into the same digital ecosystem, creating what it describes as a “one-stop shop” for overseas engagement with India.
The project has been approved for an initial three-year period covering 2026 to 2028.
