Gandhi-King Development Foundation: India and US Announce New Initiative

July 2 :
The Gandhi-King Development Foundation (GKDF) will be formally established by October 2024, according to a Statement of Intent signed by senior officials from India and the US on June 17. Founded on the ideals of Dr. King and Mahatma Gandhi, the GKDF will work to advance sustainable and equitable development. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in India made the announcement to establish the Foundation on July 1.

When White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan was in India, he signed the Statement of Intent. The US Embassy in India released a statement stating that this initiative is an expansion of the Gandhi-King Development Foundation, which was allowed by the US Congress to be established in December 2020 through the Gandhi-King Scholarly Exchange Initiative Act, which was sponsored by Representative Gregory W. Meeks.

The United States and India have formed a groundbreaking alliance through the Gandhi-King Development Foundation, which is based on the progressive principles held by Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., according to US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti. The foundation highlights our mutual dedication to advancing the world through the utilization of our combined abilities.

In an innovative effort to address global development issues, the Gandhi-King Development Foundation brings together the US and India. Locally based in India, it will work to advance India's development objectives on a national and worldwide scale by combining public and private funding.

The US Embassy statement expanded on these goals by saying that they include fighting climate change, decreasing tuberculosis, improving water and sanitation, minimizing the health effects of air pollution, increasing education outcomes, and fostering economic empowerment for women. In a statement made in New Delhi, Änjali Kaur, the USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator for Asia, expressed the agency's pride in supporting the Gandhi-King Development Foundation. The foundation aims to promote inclusive and sustainable development, serving as a symbol of the friendship and shared values between India and the United States.