The exhibition acquaints the visitor with India’s cultural diversity of the 1st to the 19th centuries.

The art of ancient and medieval India is represented by Buddhist, Jain and Hindu sculpture in stone, bronze and wood. The exhibition of Indian miniature paintings provides an introduction to different schools of painting including examples of the art of the Western Indian, Mogul, Deccan and Rajputu schools. Of particular note are also the leaves created at the provincial Muslim schools. On display are also the miniatures on ivory associated with the Company School.

Occupying an important place in the exhibition is Russia’s finest collection of Indian arms and armament. Among these can be seen the ritual axes for making sacrifices, Kunda swords for battles involving elephants, the steel shields made from rhinoceros hide, the guns decorated with ornamental painting, the chakras (missile battle disks), as well as the full armour that belonged to a noble Rajput warrior.