New Delhi: The Government of India highlighted the India IFAD partnership during the IFAD–India Day event in Rome as officials underlined long-standing cooperation in rural development. Speakers stressed that the partnership had strengthened community-led programmes and expanded scalable models.
IFAD President Alvaro Lario praised India’s leadership in inclusive rural development. He said several joint programmes had become global reference models. Officials added that women’s empowerment and climate-resilient agriculture had become central to recent initiatives.
Additional Secretary Anu Mathai, who also serves as India’s Alternate Governor to IFAD, said the partnership rested on shared values of inclusivity, sustainability, and community-led growth. She explained that India viewed IFAD’s support as critical to expanding equitable livelihood models.
India IFAD partnership drives long-term rural gains
Mathai added that cooperation between India and IFAD extended beyond financial inputs. She noted that IFAD had helped scale innovative projects that placed rural communities at the centre of development planning. Officials stated that the approach ensured consistency even as programme needs evolved.
Over the past 48 years, India and IFAD supported 36 rural development projects worth US$4.4 billion. IFAD contributed US$1.5 billion. Six projects worth US$459 million were under implementation. India maintained a co-financing ratio of 2.65, which remained above the global average.
