New Delhi, Dec. 6 -- India is preparing to deploy an unconventional soft-power tool: its cuisines.

Long overshadowed by chicken tikka masala's global fame, the country now wants the world to taste the breadth of its culinary identity-from the slow-simmered richness of dal makhani to the coastal heat of Chettinad spice. Officials are crafting an ambitious plan to turn India's vast regional cuisines into a coherent global brand, one that can shape how the country is perceived.

Taking cues from the way Italy turned pizza and pasta into cultural ambassadors and how Korean and Mediterranean dishes have swept international menus, India is gearing up for a flavour-forward push.

Think biryanis and dosas headlining global food festivals; marque...