Indian foreign aid and development assistance programs

[Indx TechStyle]

why would Russia not want a strong stable Mongolia? it's a buffer state between them and an expansionist china.

imagine if India could do the same if Tibet were free? would we object to a stron,g stable Tibet?

That's the reason, more than a buffer state, India can use Mongolia as a proxy against China, in turn Russia is dependent on China.

 

[I am otm shank]

Russia may value China as customers but they will never compromise their territorial integrity in any way for a few measly dollars. Not only did Russians spill much blood for their lands but it would be political suicide for any Russian politician to allow it to happen.

They know and we all know chinese desire for Siberia so helping Mongolia will strengthen India Russia relations in the long run

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Russia may value China as customers but they will never compromise their territorial integrity in any way for a few measly dollars. Not only did Russians spill much blood for their lands but it would be political suicide for any Russian politician to allow it to happen.

They know and we all know chinese desire for Siberia so helping Mongolia will strengthen India Russia relations in the long run

I don't think there's any significant border dispute left between Russia & China.
China got what they wanted after collapse of USSR.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Suriname Vice-President Michael Ashwin Adhin has said that India should transfer nature-friendly technology to Suriname to enable it to compete in the global market.

“Transformation of India implies an influential India at the global-level and there has to be a greater economic and technological cooperation. Any contribution by the Indian diaspora to India should be mutually beneficial,” Mr. Adhin said during his keynote address at the inauguration of the three-day Pravasi Bharatiya Divas here on Saturday.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/India-can-emerge-a-superpower-Suriname/article17005667.ece

 

[Indx TechStyle]

India has offered $500 million USD loan of weapons to Bangladesh

 

[ezsasa]

MEA's development partnership admin (DPA) div joins hands with US govt's youngest foreign aid agency to explore projects in third countries

 

[jadoogar]

That's the reason, more than a buffer state, India can use Mongolia as a proxy against China, in turn Russia is dependent on China.

Well India is a far larger market for Russia than China is. All that China wants to do is to export their manufactured goods, manufacture territorial claims and seize territory wherever possible, export Han worldwide with a goal of having these as proxies for further Chinese encroachment.

Russia was hoping to sell natural gas to China due to obstacles in shipping the commodity to Europe (via US proxy Ukraine). Also US sanctions against Russia were hurting Russia's economy forcing them to look to sell Natural gas to China. However, I have not come across any reports of the Chinese having taken delivery of and paid for any NG.

Also it is possible that China is now broke. Additionally a 20% inbound tax into USA could be quite expensive for China. It will be interesting to see Chinese assets in USA scuttle this proposed tax.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Decommissioned Military Hardware – A Potential Diplomatic Asset for India

 

[ezsasa]

Decommissioned Military Hardware – A Potential Diplomatic Asset for India

Hope this is implemented in a larger scale. Old BMPs should be sent to Afghans, as soon as FICV comes in.

Russia will sure be interested in supplying them ammo.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

India may assist UAE in air defence system

 

[tejas warrior]

India may assist UAE in air defence system

UAE looks to be Potential Akash customer.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

UAE looks to be Potential Akash customer.

I think they want a JV instead of a buy and so are Kazaks.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

This is why People Love India

 

[Indx TechStyle]

India seeks to extend UDAN scheme to BIMSTEC countries

(Photo: Twitter, @indfoundation)

In a bid to boost its engagement with BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation), India is looking to expand the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik or 'common people of the country can fly') scheme of its aviation policy to countries of this regional bloc, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha said on Tuesday.

"What the government of India would like to see is that we can take the policy design behind UDAN and extend it across the BIMSTEC region," Sinha said while speaking at an event here to mark the 20th anniversary of the establishment of BIMSTEC.

"So if we can link Pakyong (greenfield airport in Sikkim), there is no reason why we can't link an airport in Bhutan or an airport in Myanmar in the same fashion," he said.

Tuesday's event served as a curtain-raiser for a conference on "BIMSTEC: An Enabling Architecture for Growth, Prosperity and Partnerships" organised by industry body Ficci and India Foundation with the support of the external affairs ministry and the state government of Assam in Guwahati from November 2 to 4 this year.

BIMSTEC comprises Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Its main objective is technical and economic cooperation among south Asian and southeast Asian countries along the rim of the Bay of Bengal.

With SAARC(South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) virtually rendered ineffective as a bloc, largely due to non-cooperation on the part of Pakistan in a number of areas, India has been giving more importance to BIMSTEC in recent times.

The UDAN scheme is a key component of the National Civil Aviation Policy launched by the Ministry of Civil Aviation in June last year. Its focus is on regional airport development and connectivity and making air travel affordable.

The first flight under UDAN took place in April when Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a New Delhi-Shimla flight.

Sinha said that to make the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean the real power centre of the region, the BIMSTEC countries would have to work together.

"Trade and business and commerce are really going to be the engine that are going to be able to drive prosperity and closer collaboration and linkages across the BIMSTEC countries," he said.

Stating that to strengthen trade and business, connectivity was vital, he said: "As far as India is concerned we have poured tremendous resources to both road and rail linkages."

He said that the government was working on expanding road linkages not only in northeast India - seen as the hub for India's engagements with BIMSTEC - but also to Myanmar and on to Thailand.

He said that the government was pushing for broad gauge rail tracks across the northeast and was opening up trade connectivity to Bangladesh. Work was also underway to develop waterways, including one on the Brahmaputra river to Bangladesh.

However, for high value economic progress through business and tourism, aviation was very important, he said.

Sinha said the conference in Guwahati would look at the possibilities of having an open skies policy between the BIMSTEC countries.

 

[busesaway]

I think it would be progressive if India and Sri Lanka created ties to link each country together on one single "organization" or "framework". It could include things like the open skies agreement and maybe even membership for Sri Lanka into the IPL.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

I think it would be progressive if India and Sri Lanka created ties to link each country together on one single "organization" or "framework". It could include things like the open skies agreement and maybe even membership for Sri Lanka into the IPL.

First Sri Lanka was reluctant and now is India. Thanks, to the fashion wave of being India, the definition of being patriot in any other South Asian country hadn't leave Ceylon just like Pak, Bangla & Nepal.

They got too cozy with China, got fooled and debted and now, the only reason why they are trying to be friendly with India is the hope somehow India pays out their debt. Will again start some insurgency if SL becomes Indian State and debt is payed out.

 

[busesaway]

First Sri Lanka was reluctant and now is India. Thanks, to the fashion wave of being India, the definition of being patriot in any other South Asian country hadn't leave Ceylon just like Pak, Bangla & Nepal.

They got too cozy with China, got fooled and debted and now, the only reason why they are trying to be friendly with India is the hope somehow India pays out their debt. Will again start some insurgency if SL becomes Indian State and debt is payed out.

There's actually a pact being signed between India and Sri Lanka called ETCA:
http://www.financialexpress.com/ind...a-likely-to-finalise-etca-by-year-end/672118/

This includes "trade-in services" which means free movement of people between the two countries with some restrictions in IT and shipbuilding jobs.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

There's actually a pact being signed between India and Sri Lanka called ETCA:
http://www.financialexpress.com/ind...a-likely-to-finalise-etca-by-year-end/672118/

This includes "trade-in services" which means free movement of people between the two countries with some restrictions in IT and shipbuilding jobs.

That's what I said.
Sri Lankan newspapers and keyboard warriors were full of India bashing articles till they weren't indebted under PRC.

I remember, a Sri Lankan member HeinzGud used to tell me that's "India's own mistake and evil designs" have pushed them in China's bucket,
One month later he created a thread about this deal and asked if Sri Lanka could be a part of India! LOL

I have link of that thread too.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

India to extend $310 mn loan for Zimbabwe power plant
The decision was taken during a meeting between Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

India on Saturday announced that it would extend a $310 million loan to Zimbabwe to finance a rehabilitation project for a thermal power plant that would entail upgrading the station and extending its lifespan.

The decision was taken during a meeting between Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa and delegation-level talks between senior officials of the two countries here, TS Tirumurti, Secretary (Economic Relations) in the Ministry of External Affairs, said while briefing media on the deliberations.

Hwange is Zimbabwe's second biggest power plant with an installed capacity of 920 MW.

India will also extend additional funds of $23 million for the Bulawayo thermal power plant and $19.5 million for the Deka pumping and water intake system in Zimbabwe, Tirumurti said.

A fund of $2.9 million will also be extended to upgrade the Indo-Zim Technology Centre, which India had gifted to the African country, he said.

Naidu arrived here Friday night on the second leg of his six-day three-nation tour to Africa, which aims at deepening India's strategic cooperation with Botswana, Zimbabwe and Malawi.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

In race for influence with China, India investing more in neighbouring countries
India has sharpened its focus on development assistance for its neighbours, especially for high impact projects driven by local needs.

PM Narendra Modi with Afghanistan president Ashraf Ghani. In Afghanistan, after completing the Afghan-India Friendship Dam and the Parliament building, India is set to take up the Shahtoot dam in the Kabul river basin, a project to supply much needed drinking water to the Afghan capital.(File Photo)

India has sharpened its focus on development assistance for its neighbours, especially for high impact projects driven by local needs, as it finds itself in a race for influence in the region with China.

An array of projects, ranging from the nearly $300-million Salma or Afghan-India Friendship Dam to the Rooppur nuclear power plant being built in Bangladesh, have benefited from grants or lines of credit with low interest rates offered by Delhi.

Out of lines of credit worth $25 billion given to 61 countries around the world since 2012, almost $11.6 billion or 46% has gone to India’s neighbours, people familiar with the development programmes said on condition of anonymity.

Grants worth $4.2 billion have been provided to Saarc members, minus Pakistan, and Myanmar since 2013-14, compared to $1.67 billion in grants for these countries between 2008 and 2013, they added.

“Partnerships in the neighbourhood are a priority and the focus is on delivery and managing things more effectively so that projects are completed on time. The focus is also on completing lingering projects before we take up new ones,” added one of the people cited in the first instance.

This has resulted in a push for railway links with Nepal and Bangladesh, and railway projects within Myanmar.

The railway link between Nepal’s Janakpur and Jaynagar in Bihar is expected to be operational by the end of the year and India recently supplied 18 locomotives to Myanmar as part of a $679-million assistance package.

In Afghanistan, after completing the Afghan-India Friendship Dam and the Parliament building, India is set to take up the Shahtoot dam in the Kabul river basin, a project to supply much needed drinking water to the Afghan capital.

“This project is now moving towards the process of approvals and tendering,” one of the people said.

Another focus area in Afghanistan are small development projects, worth $1 million or less, with 560 such ranging from schools to health centres and women’s vocational training centres, already being launched in all 34 provinces of the country, including areas contested by the Taliban.

A total of $200 million has been committed for these projects, of which $120 million has been used.

Bangladesh has been largest beneficiary of lines of credit, having been provided $7.86 billion, a majority of it in the past four years. Much of the funds are meant for connectivity and infrastructure projects such as ports, railway lines and roads. India is now set to begin tendering for the transmission and distribution network for the 2.4 GWe Rooppur nuclear power plant being built in northwest Bangladesh jointly by India and Russia.

The Indian assistance, however, is dwarfed by the billions of dollars poured into the region by China.

Beijing does not publicise official figures for loans and assistance, though figures from the American Enterprise Institute show that between 2012 and 2018, China invested $8.06 billion in Myanmar, $43 billion in Bangladesh, $20 billion in Sri Lanka, $5.45 billion in Nepal and $420 million in Afghanistan.

The Chinese assistance has come with fears of “debt traps”, with observers citing the example of Sri Lanka’s Hambantota port, which Colombo recently handed over to Beijing along with 15,000 acres around it for 99 years to erase $1 billion in debt.

The people cited in the first instance were reluctant to characterise the Indian-aided projects, which are managed and implemented under the external affairs ministry’s development partnership administration as a race with China.

“The defining feature of our partnerships is that they are demand driven and need-based. It’s what the local governments want from us and part of their development trajectory,” said the first person.

“Our projects don’t push partners into problems of debt repayment,” a second person said. At the same time, the projects are aimed at improving connectivity with India, boosting trade opportunities and creating opportunities for Indian firms.

Nitin Pai, director of The Takshashila Institution, said these development partnerships are one way of signalling that as India becomes more prosperous, it is willing to share its prosperity with its neighbours.

“This can only be the first step as true development partnership needs open and free trade across the region, but some countries don’t want it,” he said. “There is also no point in getting into an aid race with China, which has no government controls and accountability on spending. India’s strength is in building grassroots democracy and pluralism, not propping up dictators.”