India's development partnership programme ITEC completes 55 years

India's development partnership programme ITEC has completed 55 years and over 200,000 government officials and professionals from 160 partner countries have been trained under it as part of capacity building efforts, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Saturday.

The Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme was launched on September 15, 1964 by the MEA.

"Over the last 55 years, ITEC has been a vehicle to share India's vast and unique experience of growth and development through capacity building and training of more than 200,000 government officials and professionals from 160 partner countries of the Global South in premier institutes of our country," the MEA said.

Development Partnership Administration Division of the Ministry of External Affairs is organizing a conference on October 7, 2019 at the Pravasi Bhartiya Kendra to celebrate the 55th Anniversary of India's flagship capacity building programme.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will preside over the event and MoS for Defence and MoS for External Affairs will be guests of honour, the statement said.

The conference will be attended by senior government officers from various ministries, Head of ITEC partner universities and institutes, Resident Heads of Missions and several other dignitaries.

Jaishankar will also inaugurate the e-VidyaBharti and e-ArogyaBharti (tele-education and tele-medicine project) for African countries.

This is an initiative for all 54 countries of Africa, in line with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking advantage of India's digital revolution for the benefit of African youth.