Archive · 29 Sep 2026
Nikhil Kamath Urges India to Export Culture Alongside Products
Nikhil Kamath believes India should share its culture with the world more deliberately.
He says countries can become famous for their culture and then sell more products.
He used South Korea as an example.
India already has Bollywood, music, food, fashion, yoga and Ayurveda.
Kamath says these strengths could help Indian brands become better known overseas.
He also noted that India has a very large population and market.
This could allow Indian companies to grow at home before selling abroad.
His main point is that India should export its identity along with its products.
Nikhil Kamath said India should promote its culture and identity alongside products to help consumer brands gain global recognition.
He cited South Korea as an example of cultural influence creating demand for national products and brands.
Kamath said India represents 3.3% of global GDP but only 1.7% of global brand value, compared with Japan’s 3.5% and 5.6%, respectively.
He pointed to Bollywood, music, food, fashion, yoga, Ayurveda, textiles, spices and wellness as potential cultural strengths.
Kamath said India’s population of about 1.4 billion could help domestic brands build scale before expanding internationally.
- Who
- Nikhil Kamath, co-founder of Zerodha.
- What
- He proposed that India promote its culture alongside its products to build stronger global consumer brands.
- When
- The comments were made in a social media post; the article does not specify a date.
- Where
- The discussion concerns India’s efforts to build recognition in global markets.
- Why
- Kamath said India’s share of global brand value is relatively low despite its economic size and cultural strengths.
- Speaker
- Nikhil Kamath, Zerodha co-founder
- India’s global GDP share
- 3.3%, according to figures cited by Kamath
- India’s global brand-value share
- 1.7%, according to figures cited by Kamath
- Japan comparison
- Japan accounts for 3.5% of global GDP and 5.6% of global brand value, according to the cited figures
- India’s population
- Around 1.4 billion
- Cultural strengths mentioned
- Bollywood, music, food, fashion, yoga, Ayurveda, tea, fabrics, skincare, spices, sustainability, luxury and wellness
- Historical examples
- Indian pepper, pearls and textiles were traded internationally, while terms including cashmere, calico, khaki, pyjama and yoga have Indian links