In a significant move to deepen cultural ties, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar announced that the Government of India has decided to include Farsi (Persian) as one of the nine classical languages in India under the New Education Policy. 

• Jaishankar, who is on a two-day visit to Iran, made the above remarks during a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart, H Amir-Abdollahian.
• This recognition reflects a commitment to fostering greater understanding and appreciation of Farsi’s rich heritage within the Indian educational framework.
• Tamil was the first language in India to be accorded classical language status in 2004. Sanskrit, Kannada, Malayalam and Odia are the other languages that have been declared classical languages in India by the central government.