Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme

The Government of India offers various training courses under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme to Ethiopia, which contributes to capacity building. The ITEC programme is administered by the Ministry of External Affairs of the Government of India under which all expenses including international airfare, boarding, lodging, tuition fees, etc. are borne by the Indian authorities.

The ITEC programme was launched by a decision of the Indian Cabinet on September 15, 1964 as a bilateral programme of assistance of the Government of India. Under it and its corollary SCAAP, 156 countries in Asia, Africa, East Europe, Central & Latin America, Pacific and Small Island countries are invited to share in the Indian development experience acquired over five decades. India spends about US$ 11.4 million annually on ITEC activities. Details are available at the website link http://itec.nic.in.

ITEC is essentially bilateral. There have been occasions, however, when ITEC resources were used for financing trilateral and regional programme under the Economic Commission for Africa, UNIDO and Group of 77. Today, AARRO, (Afro Asian Rural Reconstruction Organization) and G-15 are being helped by ITEC with Training and project support and a small beginning has also been made with cooperation with the SADC (Southern African Development Community), COMESA and the African Union Commission.

Indian Technical Economic Cooperation has five components viz (1) Training in India of nominees of ITEC partner countries; (2) Projects and project related activities such as feasibility studies and consultancy services; (3) Deputation of Indian experts abroad; (4) Study Tours; (5) Aid for Disaster Relief.

With ITEC support several Indian institutions have established themselves and become well known in the developing countries especially in Africa. The National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC), Hindustan Machine Tools International Limited HMT, Water and Power Consultancy Services Limited (WAPCOS), Rail India Technical & Economic Services (RITES) and Central Electronics Limited (CEL) benefited from initial association with ITEC and are now bidding for development projects in these countries on their own.

The ITEC programme in Ethiopia was started in 1969 and has been very useful in the form of deputation of experts, human resource development for capacity building, supply of equipment in the fields of industry, agriculture, transport, health, irrigation and water resources. So far, more than 680 Ethiopian nominees have availed training under ITEC programme.

Ethiopian authorities have consistently shown keen interest to avail ITEC training courses for capacity building of its officers. The Ethiopian authorities nominate suitable officers in the government ministries and departments for ITEC training courses, which are processed by the Indian authorities for final selection. The courses are of short and medium duration in diversified fields and conducted by renowned institutions in India.

During the year 2009-10, besides the 70 slots allocated after the enhancement offered under the decisions of the India-Africa Forum Summit, a further ad-hoc allocation of training slots was also made for Ethiopia. As a result, 90 Ethiopians have been sent for training to India. Similarly, in the previous year, out of the 50 slots allocated, 70 people were sent for training to India. The efforts of the Embassy have been to enhance opportunities for training in India under the scheme.

The trainees have been sent in courses like entrepreneurship, IT, audit, management, education, banking, biotechnology, journalism, communication, power transmission and distribution management and technologies, design of jigs and fixtures, advanced computer aided manufacturing, geoinformatics, instrumentation and data acquisition system in fluid in process, Master’s Degree in Human Resource Planning and Development, Government accounts and financing, legislative drafting, parliamentary internship programme, standardization and quality assurance, advance finger print science & computers, Information technology in law enforcement, etc. From time to time, the Indian authorities devise special courses, which serve needs of countries like Ethiopia.

A nine-member Indian army training team is providing training at Major General Hailom Araya Military Academy since August 2009. This initiative was fully financed under ITEC for three years by the Government of India.

ITEC is of particular interest to Ethiopia because the newly emerging managerial cadres in Ethiopia get an opportunity to interact with centers of managerial training in India, focusing on the challenges of the country’s public and corporate sectors. ITEC has been of great advantage in fostering contacts between Indian entrepreneurs and the new generation of Ethiopian decision-makers, whose exposure to Indian management training system help them benefit from Indian capabilities to build a capacity in the industrial and financial sectors.

June 2010

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