27 Jan 2026

India’s long-standing commitment to development through human capacity building took centre stage as the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme marked its 61st anniversary at India House, celebrating decades of partnership with Botswana and the wider Global South.

Launched in 1964, ITEC was founded on the principle that sustainable development is achieved through shared knowledge, mutual respect and people-centred cooperation.

Speaking at the ITEC Day commemorative event recently, High Commissioner of India to Botswana, Mr Bharath Kumar Kuthati described the programme as “the very soul of India’s development partnership,” noting that its relevance had only grown over the past six decades.

Mr Kuthati cited Botswana as a valued partner in the ITEC journey, with hundreds of Batswana professionals from government, defence, health, education and the private sector having benefited from training in India. He said many alumni now occupied leadership and decision-making roles, contributing to institutional development and policy formulation in Botswana.

“What makes ITEC special is that it is not transactional, it is about co-creating capacity, respecting national priorities and supporting demand-driven development,” he said.

He reaffirmed India’s commitment to supporting Botswana’s Vision 2036 through ITEC, scholarships and cooperation in emerging areas such as digital skills, renewable energy, health systems and new technologies.

He also hailed the historic state visit of the President of India to Botswana in November last year, which gave renewed momentum to bilateral relations.

Mr Kuthati emphasised that people-to-people links remained the pillar of India-Botswana ties, describing ITEC alumni as the bridge between the two countries.Sharing personal testimonies highlighting the programme’s impact, Head of the Department of Media Studies at the University of Botswana, Mr Patrick Lekgetho, recounted his training in communication for development in Kolkata in 2025.

He praised India’s advanced digital ecosystem, vibrant culture and hospitality, saying the experience had directly influenced plans to establish a university-based news channel.

“If it was not for ITEC, we would not have known what was possible,” he said, adding that the programme helped demystify modern broadcast production and inspired practical innovation back home. An entrepreneurship development advisor at the Botswana Digital and Innovation Hub, Mr Nyaladzi Monyamane highlighted lessons from his training in digital payment systems and infrastructure.

He pointed to India’s near-cashless economy, the widespread use of Aadhaar digital identity system and the success of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) as examples Botswana could benchmark.

“India shows that digital transformation can be a deliberate national choice,” he said, suggesting opportunities for Botswana to partner with India on UPI adoption, heritage tourism development and even fertilizer exports driven by innovation and waste recycling.

Another alumni from the Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Ms Lilian Letshabo, who trained in integrated library systems in Chennai in 2024, described ITEC as both a professional and cultural journey.She highlighted skills gained in modern library technologies alongside the lasting bonds formed with participants from Africa, Asia and the Caribbean.

An attaché for ITEC, Mr Gagan Gautam, reaffirmed ITEC’s core values of solidarity, partnership and shared progress.

He said India, would continue to stand with Botswana not as a donor, but as a trusted development partner, to ensure the programme’s continued relevance and impact in the years ahead. BOPA