What is Development Cooperation/Assistance?
Historical Background
Key Points
9 points- 1.
Forms of Assistance: Includes grants (non-repayable funds), concessional loans (loans with favorable terms), Lines of Credit (LoCs), technical assistance, capacity building, and humanitarian aid.
- 2.
Sectors of Focus: Infrastructure (transport, energy, digital), health, education, agriculture, water resources, skill development, and small & medium enterprises.
- 3.
Objectives: Fostering goodwill, enhancing strategic influence, promoting economic ties, supporting regional stability, addressing humanitarian crises, and achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- 4.
India's Approach: Demand-driven, non-prescriptive, and based on the priorities of partner countries. Emphasizes capacity building, technology transfer, and sustainable development.
- 5.
Implementing Agency: India's Development Partnership Administration (DPA) under the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) manages most of its development cooperation initiatives.
- 6.
South-South Cooperation: India is a strong proponent, sharing its development experience and expertise with other developing countries.
- 7.
Multilateral Engagement: India also contributes to multilateral development funds and programs (e.g., UN Development Programme, Global Fund).
- 8.
Disaster Relief: Providing immediate assistance during natural calamities (e.g., 'Operation Dost' in Turkey-Syria, 'Sagar Mission' in Indian Ocean Region).
- 9.
Flagship Initiatives: ITEC (Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation) Programme for capacity building and training in various fields.
Visual Insights
India's Development Cooperation: Principles, Forms & Impact
This mind map illustrates India's unique approach to development cooperation, highlighting its guiding principles, diverse forms of assistance, key sectors, and the broader objectives it serves in India's foreign policy.
India's Development Cooperation
- ●Guiding Principles
- ●Forms of Assistance
- ●Objectives & Impact
- ●Key Sectors of Focus
India's Development Assistance Snapshot (2024-25)
This dashboard provides key statistics on India's development cooperation efforts, reflecting its commitment as a reliable partner in the global South.
- Total LoCs Extended (Cumulative)
- Over $35 Billion+$5 Billion (since 2020)
- ITEC Beneficiaries (Annual)
- Approx. 12,000Stable
- Aid to Sri Lanka (2022-23 Crisis)
- Over $4 BillionN/A
- Development Partnership Administration (DPA) Role
- MEA's Nodal AgencyN/A
India has extended Lines of Credit to 64 countries globally, primarily for infrastructure, agriculture, and capacity building projects, demonstrating its growing role as a development partner.
The Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme provides training and capacity building to professionals from over 160 developing countries, fostering human resource development and goodwill.
This substantial assistance, including credit lines for essential imports and debt restructuring support, showcased India's commitment as a first responder and reliable partner during Sri Lanka's severe economic crisis.
The DPA, under the Ministry of External Affairs, is responsible for planning, executing, and monitoring India's development cooperation projects, ensuring effective implementation.
Recent Developments
5 developmentsIndia's substantial financial assistance and debt restructuring support to Sri Lanka during its 2022-23 economic crisis, demonstrating its commitment as a reliable partner.
Increased allocation for Lines of Credit to developing countries, particularly in Africa and the neighbourhood, for various infrastructure and development projects.
Focus on digital public infrastructure and renewable energy projects in partner countries, aligning with global sustainability goals.
Expansion of the ITEC Programme and other capacity-building initiatives to a wider range of countries and sectors.
India's role in providing vaccines and medical supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic under 'Vaccine Maitri', showcasing its humanitarian aspect of development cooperation.