India's Development Cooperation

Charting new approaches in a changing world

The landscape of international development is changing as rising powers – such as China, India and Brazil – increase the volume and reach of their activities in developing countries. India has a long tradition of development cooperation, which has expanded considerably in the past decade, prompting both new institutional arrangements and questions about the modalities and implications of India’s engagement.

Saferworld and the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), one of India’s leading foreign policy institutes, organised a roundtable in Delhi to debate the challenges and opportunities for India’s development cooperation, with a particular focus upon conflict-affected states. The event brought together India’s top development official with policy experts and NGOs from a range of countries, including Brazil, South Africa, and Myanmar.

Saferworld and ORF subsequently published a joint report, which presents key themes emerging from the roundtable and provides a series of recommendations targeted at different stakeholder groups. The report contributes to the growing debate within India about how to build upon India’s development strengths and traditions, while acknowledging and addressing the risks of its engagement in conflict-affected states. It also informs broader international discussions about the relationship between development and conflict, and underlines the importance of including the perspectives of rising powers like India in this debate.