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Abstract: The article discusses the folklore heritage of India. The tale, as one of the means of aesthetic education of children, is compared with Russian folk tales. The author identifies groups of fairy tales and interprets them from the standpoint of aesthetic content, national characteristics, and genre characteristics. Identification of national characteristics helps to reveal the special atmosphere of Indian folklore. Great importance is attached to the analysis of specific fairy tales from the standpoint of moral and aesthetic education of children. The heritage of India is reflected in manuscripts that have been preserved since ancient times. Such an example is the Panchatantra, a Sanskrit monument of culture and folklore. The author describes it in detail, gives examples of magical and everyday fairy tales, and fairy tales about natural phenomena and animals. Comparing Bengal tales with Russian folk tales, the author justifies the importance of folklore for the upbringing of children in any country. Quite often, the plots of Indian and Russian fairy tales are repeated exactly (for example, the Indian fairy tale "Penniless Servant" and the Russian fairy tale — "Sivka-Burka"). However, the behavior, the actions of the characters of fairy tales of different peoples depend on national distinctive features. In fairy tales with a similar plot, national heroes and creatures are usually introduced. In Indian fairy tales, the heroes are often the Indian gods (Kali, Lakshmi), brahmans, dervishes. If in the Slavic fairy-tale epos the spirits of various places ("brownies") are widespread, in Indian fairy tales we often overcome the images of spirits, demons, owners of siddhi (miraculous abilities): Dhumavati (Baba-Yaga), Dhumra-asura. The main things that unites tales of different nations are: moral and aesthetic orientation; simplicity, clarity, "fabulous language"; victory of the good over the evil.