New Delhi [India], August 2: India has launched the first tranche of four global capacity-building projects under the India-UN Global South Initiative, aimed at advancing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through technical training and collaboration with UN agencies.
The launch, held on August 1 and led by MEA Secretary (West) Tanmaya Lal, marked a key milestone in India’s efforts to support partner countries across Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean. The event was attended by ambassadors from the participating countries, UN Resident Coordinator Shombi Sharp, and heads of various UN agencies in India.
This initiative was originally announced in September 2023 during the sidelines of the 78th United Nations General Assembly in New York, in the presence of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. Since then, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the UN Country Team in India have worked closely to identify priority projects for implementation, in line with south-south cooperation principles.
India, a global leader in capacity-building for developing nations, already runs the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) program. ITEC offers more than 12,000 training slots annually to nearly 160 countries in over 400 specialized areas, and has trained over 225,000 individuals since its inception.
The new India-UN Global South Capacity Building Initiative builds on this legacy. It combines India’s long-standing training expertise with the global reach of UN agencies to deliver demand-driven training programs in partner countries. The UN agencies will help identify SDG-focused national priorities, while India will implement training through ITEC-affiliated institutions.
The First Four Projects Include:
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Nepal – Rice Fortification and Supply Chain Management in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP)
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Zambia and Lao PDR – Digital Health Platform development with support from the UN Development Programme (UNDP)
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Caribbean Countries – Census Preparedness training in Belize, Barbados, St. Kitts & Nevis, Suriname, and Trinidad & Tobago, supported by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA)
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South Sudan – Vocational Training Program supported by UNESCO
Courses for these projects will begin from September 2025, delivered through ITEC’s network of specialized training institutions in India, according to the MEA.
By integrating UN expertise with India’s practical training framework, this initiative aims to build skilled human capital in partner nations, particularly in areas critical to SDG delivery such as food security, healthcare, governance, and workforce development.