India and the United States have signed the Statement of Guiding Principles on Triangular Cooperation for Global Development. The agreement was formalized by Kumar Tuhin, Joint Secretary at India's Ministry of External Affairs, and John A. Beed, Mission Director for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in India.
This signing follows the fifth U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue, which highlighted the significance of their partnership in contributing to regional and global stability and prosperity. The document sets a framework to enhance cooperation in addressing development challenges across Asia and Africa while also aiming to strengthen connectivity within Asia.
Both nations have agreed to leverage science, technology, and innovation to tackle shared challenges across various sectors such as agriculture, nutrition, health, clean energy, women's empowerment, disaster preparedness, water sanitation, and education.
The agreement reflects a joint commitment by India and the U.S. to work collaboratively using their combined capacities for demand-driven cooperation rooted in third-country leadership.
The two countries will continue working closely with partners from third countries to strengthen institutions and build capacity. Initial efforts include ongoing training for African government officials as well as private sector and academic professionals in food processing. There is also an emphasis on expanding collaboration focused on women's empowerment. Public-private partnerships may be formed to complement government-led initiatives and enhance overall impact.