Workshop on India’s Global Development Presence and Engagement of Indian Civil Society

Date 31-May-2013 to 31-May-2013

Location India Habitat Centre, New Delhi

Format National

During the past decade, India’s global presence has been acknowledged in various multi-lateral and bilateral global arenas. India is seen   as a rapidly rising global power by virtue of being the largest democracy and having younger demographics, and is one of the top five economies of the world today. As a member of the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and Asian Development Bank, India has increased its stakes and influence following the global financial crisis of 2008. In new multi-lateral mechanisms like G-20, IBSA and BRICS, India’s influence is increasingly being felt. Indian business enterprises (both public and private) have been expanding their presence around the world. Indian investment abroad in 2012 was higher than foreign investment in India. However, most Indian civil society organisations have largely remained domestically focused in their development efforts. A recent study on “Civil Society @ Crossroads” (PRIA was a part of the consortium that conducted the study) suggested that most Indian civil society actors have not come to terms with this changing global reality, except in respect of rapidly declining international funding for their domestic programmes.

India’s official development cooperation also seems to have increased during the past decade. In order to streamline the growing programme of development cooperation, the Ministry of External Affairs has created a separate unit – the Development Partnership Administration (DPA). Senior officials of DPA have shown an interest in interacting more regularly with Indian civil society organisations, especially those having experience in overseas programmes in developing countries. RIS (Research and Information System for Developing Countries) convened a meeting in January 2013 to explore this interaction between DPA and Indian civil society and academia. Following that meeting, a Forum for Indian Development Cooperation (FIDC) was launched.

In this context, a workshop on ‘India’s Global Development Presence and Engagement of Indian Civil Society’ was organised by PRIA (Participatory Research in Asia) in collaboration with RIS on 31 May 2013 at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. The objectives of the workshop were:

• To develop a deeper understanding of India’s global development presence bilaterally and multi-laterally in G-20, IBSA, BRICS, etc.

• To explore approaches and modalities of broad-based cooperation between Indian civil society and DPA, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India

• To evolve a set of mechanisms that can support ongoing and critical engagements of Indian civil society with India’s global influence in bilateral and multi-lateral fora.

The workshop was attended by around 50 civil society leaders and representatives from different parts of the country.

In order to unfold the objectives, four sessions were held. The day began with an overview of India’s global development presence. This was followed by discussions around the approaches and modalities of broad-based cooperation between Indian civil society and DPA. The third session focused mainly on experiences of Indian civil society engagements in G-20, IBSA, BRICS and other multi-lateral fora. And the concluding session attempted to chalk out some supportive mechanisms for ongoing and critical engagement of Indian civil society organisations with India’s global influence in bilateral and multi-lateral fora.

On the issue of India’s global development presence, the deliberations revealed that Ministry of External Affairs has been trying to build friendships through scholarships, etc, for the past 50 years. Most of the money in the form of assistance has gone to friendly nations, supporting NGO activities in foreign countries to deepen these relationships. More recently, India’s profile as a development partner has been extended. The presence of emerging coalitions like IBSA and BRICS has resulted in significant change in the development assistance discourse. But the principle on which India’s assistance is provided is still largely ‘demand driven’. Currently, India gives aid to 23 countries. But figures are not available as to what extent these contributions are helping. Ministries are working in silos and do not share information with each other. It is argued that aid effectiveness has changed to development effectiveness and it has given rise to a new discussion on how development cooperation should take place. India’s contribution is not as significant as required and it is reactive (as opposed to being proactive) despite our position in world fora. It was stressed by the participants that it is important to engage in forums such as post-Busan Framework and post-2015 MDG Agenda. We need to look at what we can do instead of looking at what we are currently doing.

The session on ‘Approaches and Modalities of Broad-based Cooperation between Indian Civil Society and DPA’ discussed India’s presence in the area of development assistance. Mr Kumar Tuhin, Joint Secretary, DPA, provided information related to the functioning of DPA and its role in development assistance. 

On the issue of South-South cooperation, it was argued that it is not aid. It has five features: grants, technology transfer, trade, lines of credit and investment. India was the first country in the world in 2008 to announce a quota free trade to LDCs. It was stressed that the North needs to learn from the features of South-South cooperation, which is real partnership for development. How can we make a new framework of global partnership? Was Indian civil society willing to develop its own indicators for South-South cooperation?

Mr Jagadananda, Information Commissioner, Odisha SIC shared that DPA is new and looking for ideas and programmes. This is very positive. Quoting South-South capacity building efforts through IFCB processes, CIVICUS, SAARC Poverty Commission, etc, he said that civil society in India is very mature and has demonstrated its capacities. India’s SGH model is a leader in the world and many Latin American countries would like to have it. On water and sanitation, CINI and Chetna’s model activating local government has demonstrated substantial engagement between government and CSOs and it is possible to replicate this anywhere. Civil society could engage in a watchdog role; but it needs to become actors, collaborators and engage with government. In the current setup, FCRA and income tax laws do not support this. Indian organisations should be able to participate in DPA’s call for proposals. 
Civil society could support DPA by providing information and capacity building on specific experiences throughout the country. A mechanism to share the information through networks needs to be created. These may directly meet the demand as well as become a mechanism to articulate that demand.

Participants also argued that there is a split within civil society in the country. Though civil society is maturing, there is also confusion about the positions being taken. At the global level, it is not only the instruments of engagement but also the ethos of development that is important. It was strongly advocated that civil society needs to deploy its ‘values’. And the trust on civil society needs to be institutionalised.

A major argument which emerged from the discussion was the issue of changing the legal framework. How will it enable Indian civil society to work abroad in a legitimate way?

In the session on ‘Experience of Indian Civil Society Engagements in G-20, IBSA, BRICS and Other Multi-lateral Fora’ panelists shared varied experiences. Civil society institutions have been able to establish credibility through their work. But it is also important to look at how international agencies look towards civil society organisations. A lot of work is taking place but information about how that money is spent is not available. There is a lack of information in the public domain. Even the Indian government as well as the Indian media is not serious about this. It is a challenge for civil society to make our government accountable. Civil society should closely watch what is happening inside these forums and disseminate information on these issues. But the challenge is also how to mobilise civil society partners for such platforms. Panelists suggested creating an information hub. It was also suggested that a meeting of civil society on foreign policy should be coordinated. Capacity building programme for civil society on diplomacy was also necessary. There is also a need to build the capacity of Ministry of External Affairs to influence other ministries. 

Questions were also raised on how to engage parliamentarians and media in such processes. Civil society could also prepare/give an agenda for discussion in such forums. The platform available in the form of parliamentary standing committees should be explored. It was strongly advocated that the process be institutionalised so that even if people in the ministry change, the dialogue continues. 
In the last session which explored supportive mechanisms for engagement of civil society, the panelists argued that civil society contribution to development in India has a long history. India has received aid for a long time. But aid which comes without people’s participation is meaningless. It is very important to remind policy makers that aid, in order to be meaningful to the people, should be timely. And to make it meaningful, civil society needs to come forward and make this process sustainable. 
There is a need for a common vision between CSOs and government. A joint monitoring mechanism needs to be evolved.  What is being done domestically must be linked to the work being done outside. Technology transfer needs to be interrogated and the process of endogenous problems needs to be promoted. There should be some institutional mechanism to disseminate the government’s agenda. There is a strong need to understand India’s role in global fora. Opportunities for sharing of knowledge need to be created. 
The workshop concluded with an agreement on the following broad agenda for the future:

• Dialogue with Ministry of External Affairs about their vision of development policy.

• Modalities and mechanisms for institutionalisation of the process.

• To create a mechanism for sharing of information with civil society on the same.

• Rigorous assessment and review.

The formation of a Joint Review Mission to review existing bilateral policies as well as the impact that India’s global presence is creating was suggested. It was stressed that leading civil society organisations in India should come forward and demand engagement with the government, not only by looking at India’s foreign presence through the lens of the newly formed DPA in the Ministry of External Affairs, but also by using the values and principles which civil society in India has been championing for decades. Overall, it was clear from the discussions that there is dire need for collaborative and critical engagement on the part of civil society with the Indian government regarding India’s global development presence.