The integration of Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) into formal education has emerged as a central concern in contemporary educational reform, particularly following the recommendations of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. While policy discourse strongly emphasizes the inclusion of indigenous knowledge system to promote culturally rooted and holistic learning, clear pedagogical frameworks for meaningful integration remain underdeveloped. This conceptual paper proposes Design Thinking as a pedagogical and curricular framework capable of bridging traditional Indian knowledge systems with modern educational practices. The study synthesizes scholarly literature on Design Thinking, curriculum theory, pedagogy, and indigenous knowledge systems to develop a coherent conceptual framework. The framework views them as dynamic, experiential, and interdisciplinary sources of learning.

The paper contributes to theoretical discourse on curriculum innovation and indigenous knowledge integration and conceptualizes how the core stages of Design Thinking: empathy, problem definition, ideation, prototyping, and reflection can be aligned with curriculum design processes to ensure contextual relevance, learner engagement, and epistemic respect for IKS. The findings are interpretative in nature, suggest that Design Thinking offers a viable pathway for translating policy aspirations into pedagogically meaningful practices without compromising the authenticity of traditional knowledge systems. The paper concludes by recommending future studies to examine the applicability of the proposed framework across diverse educational contexts.