Learning from India's Development Cooperation

Abstract

In recent years, India has substantially increased the levels of its development cooperation. It has streamlined its development cooperation activities and put the principles of South-South Cooperation, including respect for national sovereignty, national ownership and independence, non-conditionality and mutual benefit, into action. India now needs to strengthen and harmonise its institutional mechanisms for development cooperation through clear policy statements. In addition to national foreign policy and economic interests, accountability – to both Indian citizens and recipient countries – should become a cornerstone for planning future development cooperation. Greater engagement with Indian civil society and the Indian media will be critical to this endeavour.