The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is a governmental organization and the premier agency of the Government of India, functioning as an attached office under the Ministry of Culture. It is responsible for archaeological research, conservation, and the preservation of cultural historical monuments and sites across the country. The ASI was founded in 1861 by Alexander Cunningham, who became its first Director-General, to systematically study and protect India's vast archaeological heritage. The organization was established by a statute passed into law by Lord Canning, addressing the need for a permanent body to oversee archaeological work that had begun with the Asiatic Society in 1784.
The ASI operates primarily under the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 (AMASR Act), which empowers it to regulate archaeological excavations and administer over 3,650 monuments of national importance. The AMASR Act, 1958 stipulates a 100-meter area around protected monuments as a prohibited zone for construction, with a further 200-meter area being regulated. The ASI also regulates the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972.
A key related institution is the National Monuments Authority (NMA), established in 2010 under an amendment to the AMASR Act, which regulates construction in the prohibited and regulated zones. Recently, the ASI has been working on amending the AMASR Act, 1958 to replace the rigid 100-meter prohibited area with site-specific limits for greater flexibility. Furthermore, the ASI's role is shifting from an exclusive executor to a regulator and supervisor, as a new regulated Public-Private Participation (PPP) model is being introduced to allow private agencies to undertake core conservation work at Centrally Protected Monuments.