But Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal ─ indeed, all other countries in South Asia (except Pakistan) ─ also receive our assistance. In recent years, India has considerably stepped up its aid to African countries, and also to other distant friends such as Mongolia.

Indian aid and loans have contributed to socio-economic development in all these countries — for instance, the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan has been able to harness hydro-electric power. In Afghanistan, India has constructed hospitals, the Parliament building, and a cricket stadium. In Sri Lanka, India has been constructing houses for rehabilitation of the Tamil population uprooted by the prolonged ethnic war. India has so far provided nearly USD 3 billion in line of credit to Bangladesh, for developing its infrastructure of railways, ports, roads and communications.