India

Family group in a slum - Patna.

Family group in a slum - Patna.

The Secretary of State has announced a review of the DFID Bilateral Aid Programme. The information on this page reflects current activity and is not an indication of the direction or possible outcome of the review.

Home to a world-beating information technology industry and a multitude of cultures and languages, India is the world’s largest democracy. The country has accomplished a great deal since independence in 1947, making slow but steady progress. However, despite its strong economic growth, the scale of its need is huge. Today 456 million Indians - 42% of the population - live in poverty, comprising one-third of the world's poor.

Key facts

Pie chart of aid spending

(Above) Pie chart showing UK bilateral aid spending in India (2008/09)

Total UK bilateral aid received (08/09): £297 million
Aid by sector:
Health: 42%
Education: 24%
Growth: 16%
Governance: 10%
Other social services: 6%
Other: 2%

Find out more in Key facts: India

How We Have Helped

A safe arrival for India’s newborns

A safe arrival for India’s newborns

The Janani Express is taking pregnant women to hospital in remote parts of India

India’s hungriest state switches on

India’s hungriest state switches on

After suffering years of power shortages, the people of Madhya Pradesh are beginning to see the benefits of a reliable power supply