DFID has provided about £1045 million to India in bilateral aid over the past five years. In 2006/07 our financial support to India was £233m; likely spend to be £266m in 2007/08 and £290m in 2008/9. DFID works at the national level as well as supports programmes in several focus states: Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and West Bengal. We are soon to begin working in Bihar.

DFID’s priorities have been to strengthen the ability of the Government to develop and implement policies that benefit the poor, make the Government more accountable to those it represents, and improve access to better quality services for poor people, particularly in health and education.

DFID also supports programmes which help poor people improve their own livelihoods, and give them a bigger say in decisions affecting their lives. A key priority is to promote changes that are sustainable in terms of the earth’s resources and DFID is working with the Government to enhance India’s resilience to the effects of climate change.