1. Full name of doctoral candidate: Tran Bao Chau 2. Gender: Female
3. Date of birth: June 16, 1997 4. Place of birth: Hanoi
5. Decision on admission of doctoral students: Decision No. 4055/2022/QD-XHNV dated December 28, 2022, of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU Hanoi.
6. Changes in the training process (if any): Decision on adjusting the title of the doctoral dissertation of the research student (Decision No. 1682/QD-XHNV dated March 30, 2026 of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU Hanoi).
7. Thesis title: Indian journalism in cultural diplomacy
8. Major: Journalism 9. Code: 9320101.01
10. Scientific supervisors: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Oanh and Dr. Phan Van Kien
11. Summary of the new findings of the thesis:
The dissertation "Indian Journalism in Cultural Diplomacy" aims to analyze and evaluate the role of Indian journalism in cultural diplomacy, clarify the coordination mechanism between the state and the press in the implementation of cultural diplomacy activities, and thereby draw suggestions for Vietnam in leveraging journalistic resources to serve foreign affairs and promote the national image. The research subject of the dissertation is Indian journalism in cultural diplomacy under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, focusing on the period from January 2023 to December 2024. The dissertation uses a case study method combined with secondary document research, in-depth interviews with five individuals representing three groups related to the research problem, and quantitative and qualitative content analysis of 594 articles from three leading English-language newspapers in India: The Times of India, Hindustan Times, and The Hindu.
The research findings indicate that the Indian government views the press as a crucial component in the cultural diplomacy ecosystem and maintains a relatively effective coordination mechanism between government agencies and the press system. Although there is no direct content management mechanism, this coordination is achieved through policy guidance, information sources, information provision activities, and operational support. The study also shows that the role of the press in cultural diplomacy is relatively well-recognized by relevant stakeholders and is evident from the policy-making level to journalistic practices. While not a top priority, cultural diplomacy remains consistently present in the Indian press, with content focusing on three main themes: contemporary culture, elite culture, and lifestyle culture; and is highly aligned with the policy direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration. The analysis reveals that the press not only performs the function of informing and promoting culture but also participates in the process of creating meaning, shaping national image, and disseminating discourse on soft power. Cultural diplomacy rarely appears as an independent topic but is usually integrated into content related to politics, diplomacy, education, sports, and entertainment. Cultural diplomacy activities in the Indian press occur in a balance between strategic requirements and market pressures, between information coverage and message focus, as well as between the goal of promoting culture and the need to meet public tastes. Alongside successes in promoting the national image, the study also points out challenges related to dependence on individual leaders, limitations of the international media system, the risk of message fragmentation, and the gap between the promoted national image and the practical issues reflected in the media.
Scientifically, this thesis contributes to clarifying the relationship between soft power, cultural diplomacy, and journalism by combining theories from the fields of international relations and journalism-media. Based on this, the thesis develops an approach to the dual role of journalism in cultural diplomacy as both an information channel and a diplomatic actor; and simultaneously constructs an analytical framework on the role and factors influencing the implementation of journalism in cultural diplomacy. The thesis also identifies four groups of factors affecting the activities of journalism in cultural diplomacy: individual factors, organizational factors, policy factors, and media market factors.
In practical terms, this thesis provides a case study of Indian journalism in cultural diplomacy, contributing to the source of reference materials for research on foreign press, public diplomacy-cultural diplomacy, and soft power. The research findings and policy suggestions from the Indian case can be applied in building strategic visions, improving coordination mechanisms among relevant stakeholders, developing a team of foreign press journalists, and enhancing the effectiveness of leveraging journalistic resources in Vietnam's cultural diplomacy. This will contribute to strengthening the country's image, consolidating soft power, and enhancing Vietnam's position in the context of increasing international integration and global competition for influence.
12. Directions for further research:
Based on the results obtained, the thesis suggests several directions for further research. Firstly, expanding the scope of research to other media types such as television, digital platforms, and social networks to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the media ecosystem in cultural diplomacy. Secondly, conducting comparative studies between India and other countries, especially Asian countries with strong soft power strategies such as China, South Korea, or Japan, thereby clarifying the similarities and differences in the use of journalism to serve cultural diplomacy. Thirdly, further research into the impact and effectiveness of cultural diplomacy information on the perception of the international public, going beyond the scope of content analysis and implementation mechanisms. These research directions will contribute to supplementing the theoretical and practical basis for studying the relationship between journalism, cultural diplomacy, and soft power in the contemporary international context and its application to Vietnam.
13. Publications related to the dissertation:
Tran Bao Chau (2023), "India's experience in cultural diplomacy communication", Journal of Political Theory, Vol. 38, ISSN: 2525-2593.
Tran Bao Chau (2023), "Resources for communication in India's cultural diplomacy and suggestions for Vietnam", In Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference "Resources for policy communication", KOICA-TCCS-AJC.
Tran Bao Chau (2024), "Communicating Australian multicultural policy through radio and television", Journal of Political Theory online.
Tran Bao Chau (2025), "India's Cultural Diplomacy and Recommendations for Vietnam", VNU Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vol. 1 (1), pp. 114-133.
Tran Bao Chau (2025), "The role of Indian media in cultural diplomacy", In Proceedings of the International Conference "30 Years of Vietnamese Oriental Studies: Retrospect and Prospect", Vietnam National University Hanoi, ISBN: 978-632-607-454-3.
Tran Bao Chau and Tran, Quang Dieu (2025), "Vietnamese journalism and media economics in the context of digital economic development", In Proceedings of the International Conference "Transformation of Economic System and Institutions in the New Geostrategic Realities", Alfred Nobel University, Dnipro, Ukraine, ISBN: 978-966-434-621-1.
INFORMATION ON DOCTORAL THESIS
Full name: Tran Bao Chau
Sex: Female
Date of birth: June 16, 1997
Place of birth: Hanoi, Vietnam
Amission decision number 4055/2022/QD-XHNV dated December 28, 2022 by VNU-USSH
Changes in academic proceedings: Change of thesis title decision number 1682/QD-XHNV dated March 30, 2026 by VNU-USSH
Official thesis title: The Indian press in cultural diplomacy
Major: Journalism
Code: 9320101.01
Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Oanh and Dr. Phan Van Kien
Summary of the new findings of the thesis:
The thesis “The Indian Press in Cultural Diplomacy” aims to analyze and evaluate the role of the Indian press in cultural diplomacy, clarify the coordination mechanism between the state and the press in the implementation of cultural diplomacy activities, and draw implications for Vietnam in leveraging press resources for external communication and national image promotion. The object of study is the Indian press in cultural diplomacy under the administration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, focusing on the period from January 2023 to December 2024. The thesis employs a case study approach, combining secondary document analysis, in-depth interviews with five representatives from three stakeholder groups relevant to the research topic, and both quantitative and qualitative content analysis of 594 articles published in three leading English-language newspapers in India: The Times of India, Hindustan Times, and The Hindu.
The findings indicate that the Indian state regards the press as an important component of its cultural diplomacy ecosystem and maintains a relatively effective coordination mechanism between state institutions and the press. Although no direct content-control mechanism exists, coordination is facilitated through policy orientations, information provision, access to sources, and professional support. The study also demonstrates that the role of the press in cultural diplomacy is clearly recognized by relevant stakeholders and is reflected from the policy-making level to journalistic practice. While cultural diplomacy is not a top-priority topic in the Indian press, it maintains a stable presence, with coverage concentrated on three major thematic categories: contemporary culture, elite culture, and everyday culture. The content also shows a high degree of alignment with the policy orientations of the Modi administration. The analysis further reveals that the press performs not only informational and promotional functions but also participates in meaning-making, national image construction, and the dissemination of soft power narrative. Cultural diplomacy appears rarely as an independent topic; rather, it is frequently embedded within wider discussions of politics, diplomacy, education, sports, and entertainment. Cultural diplomacy reporting in the Indian press operates within a balance between strategic objectives and market pressures, between information coverage and message coherence, and between cultural promotion goals and audience preferences. Alongside notable achievements in promoting India's national image, the study also identifies challenges related to leadership dependency, limitations in international media outreach, message fragmentation, and discrepancies between the projected national image and realities reflected in media coverage.
From a scholarly perspective, the dissertation contributes to clarifying the relationship between soft power, cultural diplomacy, and the press by integrating theories from International Relations and Media and Communication Studies. Building upon this foundation, the thesis develops a dual-role approach to the press in cultural diplomacy, conceptualizing the press as both an information channel and a diplomatic actor. It also proposes an analytical framework for examining the roles of the press and the factors involving the implementation of these roles in cultural diplomacy. Furthermore, the dissertation identifies four categories of factors affecting press performance in cultural diplomacy: individual, organizational, policy-related, and media market factors.
From a practical perspective, the thesis provides a case study of the Indian press in cultural diplomacy and contributing additional reference materials for research on international journalism, public and cultural diplomacy, and soft power. The findings and policy implications derived from the Indian experience can be applied to the development of long-term strategic visions, the improvement of coordination mechanisms among relevant stakeholders, the strengthening of specialized foreign affairs journalism, and the enhancement of the role of the press in Vietnam's cultural diplomacy. In doing so, the study contributes to improving national image promotion, strengthening soft power resources, and enhancing Vietnam's international standing in an era of deeper integration and intensifying global competition for influence.
Further research directions
Building on the findings of this thesis, several avenues for future research are suggested. First, the scope of analysis could be expanded to other forms of media, including television, digital platforms, and social media, in order to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the media ecosystem in cultural diplomacy. Second, comparative studies between India and other countries—especially Asian nations with well-developed soft power strategies such as China, South Korea, and Japan—could further illuminate similarities and differences in the use of the press for cultural diplomacy purposes. Third, future research could examine more deeply the impact and effectiveness of cultural diplomacy communication on international audiences, moving beyond content analysis and implementation mechanisms to investigate audience reception and perception. These directions would contribute to further developing the theoretical and practical understanding of the relationship between the press, cultural diplomacy, and soft power in the contemporary international environment, while also generating insights applicable to Vietnam.
Thesis-related publications
1. Tran Bao Chau (2023), "India's experience in cultural diplomacy communication", Journal of Political Theory, Vol. 38, ISSN: 2525-2593.
2. Tran Bao Chau (2023), "Resources for communication in India's cultural diplomacy and suggestions for Vietnam", In Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference "Resources for policy communication", KOICA-TCCS-AJC.
3. Tran Bao Chau (2024), "Communicating Australian multicultural policy through radio and television", Journal of Political Theory online.
4.Tran Bao Chau (2025), "India's Cultural Diplomacy and Recommendations for Vietnam", VNU Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vol. 1 (1), pp. 114-133.
5.Tran Bao Chau (2025), "The role of Indian media in cultural diplomacy", In Proceedings of the International Conference "30 Years of Vietnamese Oriental Studies: Retrospect and Prospect", Vietnam National University Hanoi, ISBN: 978-632-607-454-3.
6.Tran Bao Chau and Tran, Quang Dieu (2025), "Vietnamese journalism and media economics in the context of digital economic development", In Proceedings of the International Conference "Transformation of Economic System and Institutions in the New Geostrategic Realities", Alfred Nobel University, Dnipro, Ukraine, ISBN: 978-966-434-621-1.
Author:Department of Training and Non-profit Organization
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