Archive · 8 Oct 2026
Jaishankar Says India-Africa Development Ties Follow Partners’ Priorities
India works with African countries by trying to support the needs they identify for themselves.
Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar explained this while speaking to graduates of an Indian training programme in Côte d’Ivoire.
The programme, called ITEC, has been running since 1964.
It offers training in areas such as technology, farming, finance, public services, and security.
It now works with more than 160 countries and provides nearly 10,000 fully funded training places each year.
Côte d’Ivoire has used about 800 places over the last 12 years.
Jaishankar said the training helps people build skills and also strengthens relationships between countries.
He said India wants to support Côte d’Ivoire’s development and its own stated goals.
S. Jaishankar said India’s development cooperation with Africa is guided by African partners’ needs and priorities.
He described the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation programme as a platform for sharing expertise and learning from partner countries.
ITEC began in 1964 and now serves more than 160 partner countries, offering nearly 10,000 fully funded training opportunities annually.
Côte d’Ivoire has used around 800 ITEC training slots over the past 12 years, including 123 defence and 100 civilian slots currently committed.
Jaishankar said the programme supports Côte d’Ivoire’s human-capital development, economic transformation, governance, and security goals.
- Who
- India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and alumni of the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation programme.
- What
- Jaishankar described India’s development cooperation with Africa as guided by partner countries’ needs and priorities.
- When
- The address took place in the year marking ITEC’s 62nd year; ITEC began in 1964.
- Where
- Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
- Why
- To discuss India’s development partnership and ITEC’s role in sharing skills and supporting partner countries’ priorities.
India’s stated approach
Partner-country priorities
Designing development cooperation
India’s stated approach
Jaishankar said India’s engagement is guided by its commitment to share development, governance, security, and technical experience through ITEC.
Partner-country priorities
He said cooperation should respond to African partners’ demands and priorities, and that India also learns from participants from partner countries.
Purpose of ITEC exchanges
India’s stated approach
India presents ITEC as a way to build capacity and strengthen long-term relationships through training and human connections.
Partner-country priorities
Côte d’Ivoire’s development, governance, economic transformation, and security goals are the priorities the programme is intended to support.
- Programme
- Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC)
- Programme start
- 1964
- Partner countries
- More than 160
- Annual opportunities
- Nearly 10,000 fully funded training opportunities
- Côte d’Ivoire participation
- Around 800 ITEC slots used over the last 12 years
- Currently committed slots
- 123 defence slots and 100 civilian slots
- Training fields
- Includes ICT, digital governance, public administration, finance, agriculture, energy, skills, defence, security, and counterterrorism