‘India Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC)’

May 20, 2022

During his state visit to Jamaica, India President Ram Nath Kovind highlighted India’s assistance to Jamaica in capacity building and skill development through various courses under the India Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme.

What is India Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme?

It is India’s bilateral assistance program that focuses on addressing the needs of developing countries. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) administers ITEC. Around USD 2 billion has been spent by the Indian government under the program till now. Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) played a crucial role in facilitating ITEC assistance.

Although launched in 1964, the ITEC program has grown in scope since the 2000s as India witnessed rapid economic growth. Earlier, India was the world’s largest recipient of aid, but since the 2000s India emerged as a net donor of foreign aid.

Which countries receive India’s assistance under the India Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme?

Along with the Special Commonwealth Assistance for Africa Programme, ITEC covers around 158 countries across Asia, Africa, Latin America, Europe, and Caribbean nations. 70% of the grants under ITEC go to South Asian countries. African countries are the major beneficiaries of Lines of credit (LoC).

Apart from supporting countries, the resources of ITEC were also used for financing regional initiatives along with the UNIDO, G-77, etc. In Africa, Afro-Asian Rural Reconstruction Organization, COMESA, and the African Union (AU) Commission also received assistance under ITEC.

In which areas assistance is given under ITEC?

The assistance covers providing training for civil and defense personnel, activities such as consultancy services, study tours, donation of equipment, etc. Training under ITEC covers various areas such as banking, IT, personnel management, etc.

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