The acronym ASI primarily refers to the Archaeological Survey of India, a governmental organisation/institution under the Ministry of Culture responsible for archaeological research and the conservation of cultural historical monuments in India. It also refers to the police rank of Assistant Sub-Inspector.
The Archaeological Survey of India was founded in 1861 by Alexander Cunningham, who became its first Director-General, to systematically study, preserve, and protect India's archaeological heritage. This initiative followed earlier efforts, such as the establishment of the Asiatic Society of Bengal in 1784 by Sir William Jones. The ASI administers over 3,650 ancient monuments and sites of national importance.
The ASI's mechanism is governed by the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act, 1958, which empowers it to declare sites as of national importance. The Act regulates construction near protected monuments by declaring an area up to 100 meters as a prohibited area and the next 200 meters as a regulated area. The ASI also regulates the trade of cultural property through the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972.
A key related institution is the National Monuments Authority (NMA), established in 2010 through an amendment to the AMASR Act, to regulate construction in the prohibited and regulated zones. Recently, the ASI's role has shifted from an exclusive executor to a regulator and supervisor, with the introduction of public-private partnership models like the 'Adopt a Heritage 2.0' scheme, revamped in 2023, which allows private agencies to undertake core conservation work at Centrally Protected Monuments. The AMASR Act, 1958, was also proposed to be amended in 2017 to permit construction of 'public works' for public purposes in the prohibited areas.