Development assistance in the form of concessional Lines of Credit (LOCs) is extended by the Government of India under the Indian Development and Economic Assistance Scheme (IDEAS) through the Exim Bank of India. In total, more than 300 LOCs worth US$ 32 billion have been extended to 68 countries across the world. These Lines of Credit cover around 600 projects in sectors like railways, roads, agriculture, industry, airport, sports stadiums, port, hospitals, disaster management, hydroelectricity, power transmission and Information Technology.
Out of the total LOCs of US$ 32 billion, in keeping with the high priority we attach with the neighbouring countries under the "Neighbourhood First” Policy, we have extended LOCs worth US$ 7.862 billion to Bangladesh, US$ 1.65 billion to Nepal, more than US$ 2 billion to Sri Lanka, US$ 745 million to Myanmar and US$ 1.43 billion to Maldives.
There is a special focus on regional connectivity initiatives in the neighbourhood under GoI LOCs as these can act as force multipliers to accelerate regional growth & development, promote people-to-people contact and encourage trade and commerce.
GoI has extended 196 LOCs worth US$ 12 billion to 42 African countries. The rest of our LOCs have been allocated across Latin America at US$ 811 million, Oceania at US$ 155 million and Commonwealth of Independent States at US$ 1.84 billion.
India has always cooperated and collaborated with Global South, be it power projects in Sudan, Burundi and Rwanda, sugar plants in Ethiopia and Malawi,technology parks in Mozambique, Cote d’Ivoire and Eswatini, and, campuses built by India universities in Tanzania and Uganda, Metro project in Mauritius,Hanimaadhoo International Airport in Maldives, railway projects in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, parliament building of Gambia etc. Lines of Credit as an instrument enable Government of India to cooperate with partner countries for infrastructure development and betterment of the lives of people of the partner countries.
As on August 2024