India And US Plan Development Projects In The Philippines

(MENAFN- Live Mint) "New Delhi: India and the US are in talks to launch joint development initiatives in the Philippines, with plans to finalize targeted sectors later this year, according to persons aware of the matter.
India and America have worked on education, energy, Agriculture and health-related development projects in Africa and Southeast Asia in the past. New Delhi and Washington have partnered for projects in Cambodia, Afghanistan, Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar and Vietnam.
Mint had earlier reported that this cooperation will now extend to the Pacific Islands as well Philippines, a key Political and security ally of the US, has recently increased its defence procurement from India, including the BrahMos missile, amid strained relations with China over maritime disputes. Manila has accused China of using aggressive tactics and condemned the actions.“Under the India-U.S. Triangular Development Partnership, our countries are partnering to address global development challenges. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and India's Ministry of External Affairs Development Partnership Administration II (MEA-DPA-II) are leveraging their respective experiences and areas of expertise for the global good,” the US Embassy spokesperson said in response to a query from Mint.\"We recently partnered with Fiji to support mental health and emergency care services during disasters and in post-disaster settings, and we look forward to new initiatives in the coming months with other countries in the Indo-Pacific,” the embassy added mailed to the India's external affairs ministry went unanswered at press time project cooperation could be a potential sector for collaboration as a 2022 research report supported by USAID, America's official international development agency, pointed out Philippines has received support from America on several energy projects under the“Energy Secure Philippines” program. The report, authored by Indian think-tank TERI, called for increased stakeholder consultations and recommended greater dialogue under the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between India's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
India has been actively engaging in triangular development efforts with other countries. It is contemplating a drive to strengthen communication and commercial ties with Japan and Bangladesh to establish a new regional supply chain.
India has also established projects in Ghana, Cameroon, Malawi, Peru with Germany. The initiatives range from using agri-tech to increase potato production in Cameroon to encouraging agri-business among women in Malawi.
According to Chaman Dhanda of GIZ, Germany's official technical assistance agency, projects in Ethiopia and Madagascar are also being evaluated is exploring a similar proposal with the UK under the Global Innovation Partnership to harness innovation in India to deliver development in strategic third countries. Mint reported that a list of target countries under this programme will be finalized by early next year.
France and India are also set to make further progress on this front through a triangular development fund for Indo-Pacific countries.

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