India Launches First Projects under India-UN Global Capacity Building Initiative to Aid Global South

On August 1, 2025, India launched the first tranche of four development projects under the India-UN Global Capacity Building Initiative, a program aimed at assisting countries of the Global South in achieving their Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)- —global goals to reduce poverty, improve health and education, and promote sustainable growth.

Brandt Line

The Global South refers to countries in regions like Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Oceania. These countries are mostly developing or emerging economies and often share common challenges such as poverty, limited infrastructure, and historical experiences of colonization. The term comes from the Brandt Line—a concept from the 1980s that visually divided the world into a richer "Global North" (like the US, Canada, Europe, Japan, Australia) and a poorer "Global South" (like India, Kenya, Brazil, Cambodia, etc.) based on economic development rather than geography.

The initiative was initially announced in September 2023, on the margins of the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, by External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar. Following this, the MEA and the UN Country Team in India jointly worked to identify projects and implementation strategies to bolster South-South Cooperation—a model of collaboration among developing countries to share knowledge, skills, and resources.

The India-UN Global South Capacity Building Initiative is described as a natural extension of India's long-standing development partnership efforts and capacity-building expertise, especially through its flagship programme, the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC).

Established in 1964, ITEC offers more than 12,000 training slots annually across 160 countries, covering over 400 specialized courses, with more than 225,000 participants trained to date. It focuses on technical assistance, economic cooperation, and human resource development in partner countries.

This new initiative takes that legacy forward by onboarding UN agencies to collaboratively design demand-driven programmes—projects designed based on the specific needs identified by the recipient countries. While the UN agency involved supports the host government in identifying projects aligned with SDGs and other administrative aspects, the training component is implemented through India's ITEC framework by designated Indian training institutes.

In the first phase of the initiative, four pilot projects have been identified:

1. Rice Fortification and Supply Chain Management in Nepal, supported by the World Food Programme (WFP).

   • Rice fortification refers to the process of adding essential vitamins and minerals (like iron, folic acid, and Vitamin B12) to rice to combat malnutrition.

   • Supply chain management ensures the efficient handling, storage, and distribution of fortified rice.

2. Development of Digital Health Platforms for Zambia and Lao PDR, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

   • These platforms aim to digitize healthcare systems, improving access to medical records, telemedicine, and health service delivery in remote areas.

3. Census Preparedness Training for officials in Belize, Barbados, St. Kitts & Nevis, Suriname, and Trinidad & Tobago, with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

   • Census preparedness involves training officials in data collection, enumeration techniques, and use of technology to ensure accurate demographic data crucial for policy-making and planning.

4. A Vocational Training Programme in South Sudan, facilitated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

   • Vocational training refers to education that prepares individuals for specific trades or careers, helping enhance employability and economic resilience.

The identified training courses under these projects are expected to commence from September 2025, conducted by Indian institutions under the ITEC framework.

India’s leadership in global capacity building, particularly for the Global South, continues to evolve through such collaborative and targeted interventions. By combining India's technical and human resource expertise with the global reach and specialized support of the UN system, this initiative exemplifies how multi-stakeholder cooperation can accelerate the achievement of the SDGs in developing regions.

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