India has emerged as South Asia’s humanitarian and developmental leader, extending over USD 30 billion during the last 10 years in aid through financial, in-kind, and capacity-building support. Guided by “Neighbourhood First” and Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, India combined compassion with strategy—offering vaccines, food, relief, and infrastructure development support to neighbouring countries.
India’s approach toward its neighbouring countries has evolved into one of the most comprehensive humanitarian and developmental frameworks in Asia. Guided by the twin philosophies of Neighbourhood First and Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, “the world is one family”, India has extended generous support, both financial and material, to its neighbours across South Asia. From the heights of the Himalayas to the shores of the Indian Ocean, India’s engagement has embodied compassion, solidarity, and responsibility.
Between 2020 and October 2025, India’s humanitarian actions have ranged from dispatching vaccines and medicines to offering emergency relief after natural disasters, and supporting post-crisis reconstruction efforts. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 tested the resilience of all nations, and India’s rapid mobilization of medical assistance to neighbouring countries placed it at the forefront of global humanitarian diplomacy, demonstrating its emergence as the principal pillar of regional stability and growth. Across South Asia, India’s development partnerships have evolved from traditional assistance to comprehensive, people-centric engagement that balances immediate relief with long-term resilience building.
India’s support to its neighbours can broadly be viewed through three interlinked aspects, firstly financial assistance, secondly the in-kind humanitarian support, and thirdly the developmental partnership. Financially, India extended direct grants, Lines of Credit (LoCs), and concessional financing to help neighbouring countries stabilize their economies, build critical infrastructure, and recover from crises. In-kind assistance took the form of medical consignments, food grains, vaccines, tents, and emergency relief materials sent during pandemics, floods, and earthquakes. On the developmental side, India invested heavily in human resource development, skill training, education, and institutional strengthening to build long-term resilience. Together, these measures have transformed India into a central pillar of humanitarian and developmental stability in South Asia.
In Afghanistan, India sustained its deep developmental role despite political upheavals, executing over USD 200 million in High Impact Community Development Projects and delivering vital food and medical aid. Its wheat assistance, vaccine drives, and scholarship programmes have preserved essential welfare services amid crises. Bhutan remains India’s closest and most trusted partner, benefiting from ₹4,500 crore under its 12th Five-Year Plan alongside joint ventures in hydropower, satellite technology, and digital connectivity. India’s extensive COVID-era support — from vaccines and medical kits to repatriation aid, further underscored their enduring partnership.
Various aspects of India’s support to major South Asian Countries
| Country | Nature of Aid / Support | Amount / Value | Description |
| Afghanistan | Humanitarian, Developmental, Financial | USD 200 million (HICDP) + earlier USD 1 billion New Development Partnership
Afghan Parliament in 2026 with USD 110 Million Construction of Schools and Roads USD 2.6 Million in 2020 |
433+ HICDPs across 34 provinces; food aid of 11 lakh tonnes wheat; 75,000 MT wheat (2020) & 2,000 tonnes pulses (2018); 5 lakh HCQ tablets, 1 lakh paracetamol tablets; 3,500 Afghan trainees annually; projects like Shahtoot Dam, Kabul water supply & Charikar city water system. |
| Bhutan | Developmental, Technological, COVID Relief | Rs. 4500 crore (USD 542 Million) (12th Five-Year Plan) | Projects in agriculture, health, energy, transport, ICT, education; ISRO-Bhutan satellite (2022); Digital Drukyul optical fibre network; RuPay & BHIM launch; 5.5 lakh vaccine doses; essential medicines, PPEs, and repatriation of 2000 Bhutanese nationals. |
| Bangladesh | Developmental, Educational, Infrastructure | USD 8 billion (3 LOCs) + USD 50 million (HICDPs) | Lines of Credit for roads, railways, shipping, and power; Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant & Friendship Pipeline; 93 High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDPs); training for 800 officials annually under ITEC; 1000 Suborno Jayanti scholarships; cultural & youth exchanges. |
| Nepal | Financial, In-kind, Emergency Relief | USD 1.65 billion LOC + INR 1000 crore (USD 120 Million) flood & quake aid (2024–25)
USD 1 billion in 2015 post earthquake re construction |
Earthquake housing & school reconstruction (50,000 houses, 44 schools, 18 hospitals); 551 HICDPs worth NPR 1249 crore; 23 tonnes medicines (2020), 1M vaccines (2021), oxygen plants & tents for flood relief (2024–25). |
| Sri Lanka | Financial, Humanitarian | USD 7 billion credit lines + USD 4 billion crisis aid (2022) + USD 780 million grants
USD 20 million in 2024 for LOC projects Financial Assistance USD 14.9 Million in 2024 USD 61.5 Million for Port Development in 2023 USD 1800 croe ( USD 204 Million) for Indian Housing Project |
Economic crisis assistance: fuel, medicines & food; USD 1B credit for imports, USD 500M for petroleum; USD 55M fertilizer aid; ambulance service, hospitals & housing (60,000 units); USD 400M currency swap; COVID-19 vaccines and test kits. |
| Maldives | Infrastructure, Defence, Health | USD 800M + USD 100M LOCs + USD 400M GMCP + USD 100M grant
Financial assistance in 2018 USD 1.4 billion Addu Reclamation USD 80 Million 2024 USD 361 Million Community Development Financial Assistance in 2025 USD 100 million |
Greater Malé Connectivity Project; Addu reclamation; social housing (700 units); Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital renovation; 65 community projects (USD 361M grants); MIFCO fisheries expansion; USD 53M roads; defence training for 1500 MNDF officers; currency swap USD 400M (2024). |
| Total USD 28 billion approx | |||
Bangladesh has emerged as India’s largest development aid recipient, with USD 8 billion in Lines of Credit and over USD 50 million in community-based projects. These focus on transport, energy, and education, complemented by skill development, civil service training, and cultural exchange initiatives that deepen people-to-people ties. In Nepal, India’s assistance has spanned earthquake reconstruction, flood relief, and medical supplies, with Lines of Credit exceeding USD 1.6 billion and crucial in-kind contributions such as vaccines, oxygen plants, and disaster relief equipment.
Sri Lanka’s 2022 economic crisis highlighted India’s swift and compassionate response through emergency lifelines worth USD 4 billion, supplemented by food, fuel, and medicine shipments that stabilized daily life. Simultaneously, India continues to support long-term housing, healthcare, and transport initiatives. In the Maldives, India’s USD 1.4 billion development cooperation has transformed island connectivity and housing infrastructure, while ongoing medical collaboration, defence training, and disaster preparedness efforts reflect its “first responder” role in the Indian Ocean region.
Collectively, these initiatives illustrate India’s ascent as a humanitarian leader dedicated to fostering a resilient, interconnected, and self-reliant South Asia. Its combination of financial aid, developmental projects, and non-financial support embodies a diplomacy of empathy and partnership — one rooted in regional solidarity and shared progress. The total humanitarian and development support exceeds USD 30 billion during the last 10 years years including about USD 27 billion in financial activities and another non-financial / in-kind assistance over USD 2 billion.
The developmental and capacity-building dimension underscores India’s commitment to long-term cooperation by funding rail, port, energy, and power projects that strengthen connectivity and sustainable growth. The technical and institutional support arm complements these efforts by empowering human resources through training, scholarships, and policy collaboration, thereby enhancing administrative and healthcare capabilities across the region. Collectively, these pillars form a comprehensive humanitarian continuum, an approach that moves seamlessly from short-term relief to durable development outcomes.
This multifaceted assistance model distinguishes India as both a first responder in humanitarian crises and a long-term partner in regional nation-building. It reflects a philosophy rooted in compassion and solidarity, positioning India as the central humanitarian and developmental anchor of South Asia.
India’s humanitarian outreach also reflects a moral philosophy that goes beyond politics. It is guided by the conviction that regional stability begins with human security. During the pandemic, India emerged as the “pharmacy of the world,” exporting vaccines and medicines not only to its neighbours but to more than 90 countries globally. Within South Asia, this gesture of medical solidarity built trust and reinforced India’s image as a dependable partner. Similarly, during natural disasters, India’s quick response mechanisms — coordinated by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indian Navy, and Air Force — demonstrated its logistical capability to deliver relief efficiently across land and sea borders. In developmental terms, India’s concessional financing has helped its neighbours construct critical infrastructure, thereby linking humanitarian assistance to long-term development. The country’s humanitarian record during 2020–2025 thus rests on three pillars: compassion, continuity, and capability.
Looking forward, India’s humanitarian leadership is poised to deepen further. The future will likely see the institutionalization of regional humanitarian mechanisms, possibly under frameworks such as BIMSTEC or a revived SAARC cooperation model, focusing on collective disaster preparedness and response. Digital innovation will play a greater role, with platforms facilitating cross-border health communication, remote medical support, and early disaster warning. Climate-related assistance will also become central, with India expanding renewable energy cooperation and green financing support to neighbouring nations facing climate vulnerability. At the same time, India’s maritime and naval capabilities are expected to continue serving as the backbone of regional disaster response and humanitarian logistics. These evolving trends suggest that India’s humanitarian engagement will move from being largely reactive to increasingly preventive and developmental in nature, combining empathy with strategy.
In conclusion, India’s humanitarian assistance to neighbouring countries between 2020 and 2025 reflects a powerful blend of moral commitment and operational capability. Through financial aid exceeding USD 15 billion, massive vaccine diplomacy, and extensive in-kind relief, India has reaffirmed its place as the humanitarian anchor of South Asia. Each neighbouring country from Bhutan to Bangladesh, from Sri Lanka to Afghanistan has felt India’s hand of friendship in its moments of crisis. This humanitarian record also underscores India’s growing stature as a responsible global actor that links development with compassion and diplomacy with empathy. As the world grapples with deep geopolitics, climate shocks, and humanitarian emergencies, India’s role as a regional first responder and a reliable development partner will continue to expand. The years 2020 to 2025 will thus be remembered as a defining phase when India’s kindness, solidarity, and strategic vision together redefined the contours of humanitarian leadership in South Asia.
India’s Non-Financial / In-Kind Assistance to Neighbouring
| Country | Type of In-Kind Assistance | Key Items / Description | Impact / Purpose |
| Afghanistan | Humanitarian, Medical, Educational | • 75,000 MT wheat (2020) • 11 lakh tonnes wheat & biscuits for 1.5M schoolchildren • 5 lakh HCQ tablets, 1 lakh Paracetamol, 50,000 gloves (COVID aid 2020) • 2,000 tonnes pulses (2018 drought aid) • 4 Mi-25 helicopters • Scholarships for 3,500 Afghans annually • Technical & police training under ITEC | Ensured food security, public health support, education access, and capacity-building during crises and reconstruction. |
| Bhutan | Medical, Educational, Technological, Disaster Support | • 5.5 lakh Covishield vaccines (2021) • Supply of medicines, PPEs, N95 masks, x-ray machines, test kits (COVID-19) • Repatriation of 2,000 stranded Bhutanese nationals during lockdown • Support in STEM teacher training & scholarships • Launch of ISRO–Bhutan satellite (2022) • RuPay/BHIM digital systems integration | Helped Bhutan achieve 100% adult vaccination, improved digital & educational linkages, and enhanced disaster resilience. |
| Bangladesh | Infrastructure, Capacity Building, Cultural Exchange | • Construction of 93 High Impact Community Development Projects (schools, hostels, skill centres, orphanages) • 1000 Suborno Jayanti Scholarships • ITEC training for 800 civil, police & judicial officials annually • Cultural & youth delegations (100-member Bangladesh Youth Delegation 2024) • Digital connectivity (India–Bangladesh Startup Bridge) | Strengthened human resource development, people-to-people ties, and technological cooperation, fostering inclusive growth. |
| Nepal | Disaster Relief, Medical, Humanitarian | • 23 tonnes medicines (2020) • 1 million Covishield vaccines (2021) • 960 LPM oxygen plant at BPKIHS Dharan • Relief tents, blankets, & flood kits (2024–25 floods) • Thalassemia drugs ($2M value, 2025) • Construction aid for 50,000 houses, 44 schools, 18 hospitals (post-quake) | Lifesaving support during earthquakes, COVID, and floods; strengthened health and education infrastructure. |
| Sri Lanka | Medical, Food, Humanitarian, Developmental | • 40,000 MT rice & medicines (2022 crisis) • 1.5M litres kerosene & fuel supplies (2022) • Supply of COVID vaccines, test kits & PPEs (2021) • 60,000 housing units under Indian Housing Project • 199 emergency ambulances • Capacity-building & training for government staff | Direct relief during Sri Lanka’s economic collapse; improved healthcare, housing, and administrative capabilities. |
| Maldives | Infrastructure, Health, Defence, Education | • Renovation of Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital • Supply of medical equipment and medicines • 13 MoUs for ferry enhancement (2025) • Establishment of water & sewerage systems in 28 islands • Training of 1500 MNDF personnel • Scholarships & capacity-building for civil servants • COVID vaccine & essential item supplies | Enhanced Maldives’ public health, defence readiness, water access, and education sector resilience. |
| Total estimated cost of above in kind support USD 2 billion | |||