The Ministry of Culture has entered into an agreement with France Museums Développement (FMD) to transform the Yuga Yugeen Bharat National Museum into a world-class cultural institution. The museum will be built across 1,55,000 square meters in the North and South Blocks of Parliament.

Once completed, the museum is expected to become the largest in the world, surpassing The Louvre in Paris, which is currently the biggest, according to the Indian Express. At the International Museum Expo in May 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi initially declared the objective, which is a component of the Central Vista Redevelopment Project. The Yuga Yugeen Bharat National Museum will be built using "adaptive reuse" in partnership with France, which has experience with similar projects, as demonstrated by the Hôtel de la Marine, the Grand Palais, and the Louvre. 

The project will be carried out in two stages. The first stage will focus on converting the North Block into a museum, with the goal of finishing by June 2026, according to officials from the Indian Express. The building’s initial mapping has already been completed in partnership with France Museums Development. Experts from this organisation will offer advice on how to transform heritage buildings while maintaining their original architectural style. The project will move the North Block, which contains the finance and home affairs ministries, and the South Block, which houses the external affairs ministry and the prime minister's office, to the Common Central Secretariat (CCS) buildings on Janpath. By March 2025, officials anticipate that the North Block will be cleared, and the South Block will follow.

The museum will become a global cultural landmark by blending India’s rich cultural heritage with France’s experience in museum management and design. Its creation will revitalise the historic North and South Blocks, maintaining their unique architectural elements while giving them a new purpose. S Jaishankar, the minister of external affairs, emphasised the close ties between France and India.

“India and France view each other as pivotal in today’s multipolar world. Our shared history and heritage give us the confidence to define our unique perspectives, independent of external narratives,” he said. “Deepening cultural collaboration strengthens this relationship, contributing to a more democratic global governance structure,” he added.