ICA is the professional organization for the world archival community, dedicated to promoting the preservation, development, and use of the world`s archival heritage. It is a neutral, non-governmental organization, funded by the membership, which means that it maintains independence from the political process and its members include public and private archives institutions and individuals. For over 60 years, ICA has united Archival Institutions and the practitioners across the globe to advocate for good Archival Management and the physical protection of recorded heritage, to produce reputable standards and best practices, and to encourage dialogue, exchange, and transmissions of this knowledge and expertise across national borders. With approximately 1400 members in 199 countries and territories, the council’s ethos is to harness the cultural diversity of its membership to deliver effective solutions and a flexible, imaginative profession. ICA works closely with intergovernmental organizations such as UNESCO and the Council of Europe. The ICA also has close connections with other non-governmental organizations such the International Committee of the Blue Shield. Being the constituent member of the International Council on Archives, National Archives of India has participated in the annual conferences of ICA.

Smt. Sreya Guha, DGA, NAI had attended the ICA’s 3rd Annual Conference 2015 held on 28 - 29 September 2015 at Hilton Reyklavik Nordica Hotel, Reykjavik (Iceland) on the invitation by the Secretary General of ICA.

ICA REGIONAL BRANCHES:

The Regional Branches of ICA are very useful as well as beneficial for ICA members. 13 branches of ICA covered the global and the members of region meet together on matters of mutual interest. The branches enabled members to participate in professional debates while respecting the cultural diversity and the tradition of their specific region. Each branch has its own leaderships, identity, and approach, whilst adhering to the overall ICA Mission and Aim. The Regional Branches of ICA are as follows:

1. ALA - Association Latin-American de Archives

2. ARBICA- Arab Regional Branch 

3. CARBICA- Caribbean Regional Branch

4. CENARBICA- Regional Branch for Central Africa

5. EASTICA- East Asian Regional Branch

6. ESARBICA- Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Branch

7. EURASICA- Eurasia Regional Branch

8. EURBICA- European Regional Branch

9. NAANICA- North American Archival Network

10. PARBICA- Pacific Regional Branch

11. SARBICA- Southeast Asian Regional Branch

12. SWARBICA- South and West Asian Regional Branch

13. WARBICA- West African Regional Branch

South West Asia Regional Branch of  International Council on Archives (SWARBICA,) : To strengthen co-operation within South and West Asia, SWARBICA is responsible for carrying out the policy and the programmes of ICA in this region, where countries viz, India, Iran, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Bhutan are the members of SWARBICA. It operates under Constitutions of the South and West Asia Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives adopted at the branch’s inaugural conference held in New Delhi in 1976.

Director General, National Archives of India is the Treasurer of the SWARBICA. DG, National Archives of Pakistan and Director, National Archives of Sri Lanka are the Secretary General and President respectively, of the SWARBICA.

The National Archives of India hosted two days' Meeting of the Heads of the Archives of SWARBICA countries from 28-29 September, 2012 wherein members from eight countries participated. A seminar on “RTI and Records Management–Past, Present and Future” was held on the first day of the meeting and Executive Board Meeting of the SWARBICA was held on the next day and discussed issues relating to the archives as a whole.

Association of Commonwealth Archivist and Record Managers (ACARM):

Commonwealth countries share common legal and administrative traditions as well as common historical experience and a common language; the Association of Commonwealth Archivists and Records Managers (ACARM) provides a vehicle for sharing strategies and for addressing professional issues of concern to its members. With the rapid advent of computer technology, the challenges facing records managers and archivists, in terms of automating records systems and managing electronic records, are becoming increasingly complex. ACARM is a valuable vehicle for sharing solutions. It is expected that as more and more members are able to access the World Wide Web, it will be possible to share solutions electronically.

The Association of Commonwealth Archivists and Records Managers (ACARM) was founded in 1984 to provide a link for archival institutions, archivists and records managers across the Commonwealth. What makes this link especially important is the common heritage of legal and administrative systems, and hence of record keeping practices, which the countries of the Commonwealth share with each other and with the United Kingdom.

In furtherance of its objectives ACARM has established a network of Commonwealth professionals in its field and has used that network to develop a practical strategy for solving record keeping problems in public administration. This has involved a number of developmental projects concerned with promoting professional education and training through workshops and the production of training materials. In these activities ACARM has in recent years worked in partnership with the International Records Management Trust (IRMT).

National Archives of India is a member of the ACARM and has been paying annual subscription fees every year.