New Delhi: The United States and India will establish the Gandhi-King Development Foundation by October, with the US Embassy on Monday saying the foundation signifies a “groundbreaking partnership” between the two countries to address global development challenges.
It will operate locally in India, utilising both public and private resources to advance India’s national and global development objectives, the embassy said in a statement.
“These include addressing climate change, reducing tuberculosis, improving water and sanitation, minimising the health impacts of air pollution, enhancing education outcomes, and promoting economic empowerment for women,” it said.
On June 17, senior officials from the United States government and the government of India signed a Statement of Intent to formally establish the Gandhi-King Development Foundation (GKDF) by October 2024, the embassy added.
“The Gandhi-King Development Foundation signifies a groundbreaking partnership between the United States and India to address global development challenges,” the statement said.
This significant step, occurring during White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan’s visit to India, builds on the US Congress’s passage of the Gandhi-King Scholarly Exchange Initiative Act in December 2020, sponsored by Representative Gregory W Meeks, which authorised USAID to create the Gandhi-King Development Foundation, it said.
“The Gandhi-King Development Foundation represents a transformative partnership between the United States and India, rooted in the visionary ideals of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. The foundation underscores our shared commitment to forging global progress by leveraging our collective strengths,” US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, was quoted as saying in the statement.
USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator for Asia Änjali Kaur, who signed the Statement of Intent on behalf of USAID in New Delhi, said, “USAID is proud to support the Gandhi-King Development Foundation, which will promote inclusive and sustainable development, symbolising the friendship and common values of the United States and India.”
Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Gregory W Meeks, said, “I was glad to witness this important progress towards establishing the Gandhi-King Development Foundation, which will further strengthen the bonds between the United States and India.”
“The Foundation will honour two visionary leaders and leverage the strength of our private sectors to address important issues such as public health, climate change and air pollution, and the empowerment of women,” he was quoted as saying in the statement.
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