Permanent Mission of India
New York
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Interactive Dialogue with the UNDP Administrator
Second Session of the UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS Executive Board

Statement by Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni, Permanent Representative
26 August 2026

Mr. President,

We thank the Administrator De Croo for his comprehensive statement.

We acknowledge the outstanding contributions of ASG Ahunna Eziakonwa and ASG Kanni Wignaraja as they leave UNDP after years of dedicated service. Thank you very much for all you have done for our region.

The Administrator has ably outlined today’s operational environment for UNDP. India commends UNDP efforts to align its structures, footprint, workforce and operating model to today's realities.

India maintains that the development pillar must remain the top priority under the UN80 Initiative, with a continued focus on strengthening support to countries of the Global South. However, we must not try to fix something that isn’t broke. We thank you Mr. President for your leadership on this account and for leading the board and all members in discussing the UN80 initiative and its impact on UNDP.

India has been a strong advocate for promoting investments in livelihoods, institutions, infrastructure, education, healthcare and social protection through its various domestic initiatives. We collaborate closely with UNDP as we take some of these experiences to friends and partners in the Global South.

India advocates for a more holistic, inclusive and sustainable economic growth model with emphasis on national ownership and country-led development pathways. We appreciate UNDP's growing engagement with governments as co-investors in their own development, reflected in the rise of Government Development Financing.

India also maintains that solutions cannot be dictated from outside. Instead, they must be introduced by member states and driven by their national priorities, capacities and circumstances. We emphasise that the development priorities set by partner nations must be fully respected, and call for multilateral assistance to stay aligned with each country's specific needs.

Mr. President,

India values its close collaboration with UNDP in operationalizing the India-UN Development Partnership Fund and the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Fund. Through these two funds, India has committed over US$150 million to advance digital infrastructure, health, and climate resilience, with special focus on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). This reflects South-South cooperation which, as the Administrator has noted, is the new model of partnership, one that enables developing nations to share knowledge, connect capabilities, mobilize more of their own resources, and access capital on better terms.

India notes with concern the problem of funding and the sharp decline in core funding to the UN development system as a whole. India reaffirms its own role as a consistent core contributor to UNDP and encourages other partners to contribute through its domestic public resources and strengthen the core funding, enabling UNDP to act early, innovate, and deliver at scale.

In conclusion, India reaffirms its commitment to multilateral cooperation and looks forward to working constructively with UNDP, UNFPA, and UNOPS in advancing the 2030 Agenda.

I thank you, Mr. President.