India’s top foreign‑policy official met UNDP’s Acting Administrator in New Delhi to boost the country’s progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and its digital‑health agenda.
Secretary (West) Sibi George welcomed Haoliang Xu, the Under‑Secretary‑General in charge of UN Development Programme (UNDP), at the Ministry of External Affairs. They talked about new ways for India and the UN to work together, especially as the United Nations looks for reforms under its UN@80 initiative. The pair highlighted the importance of South‑South cooperation—sharing India’s innovations with other developing nations to reach SDG targets and tackle climate change.
“The meeting reaffirmed UNDP’s commitment to India’s development priorities,” Xu said. “We will help India lead South‑South work on climate and health.”
UnDP also met Anuradha Thakur, secretary of India’s Department of Economic Affairs. The discussion focused on financing sustainable projects, especially sustainable finance for states, and on building partnerships that bring global expertise to Indian programmes.
During a week‑long welcome event, Xu delivered a speech about the UN’s reform agenda and the close partnership between India and the UN. He met many senior officials and partners, helping to mark six decades of collaboration.
A highlight for Xu was a visit to a local health centre. He saw India’s digital health tools in action—eVIN, which tracks vaccine deliveries, and U‑WIN, a digital registry that links every child and mother to immunisation services. The session showed how technology makes healthcare more inclusive and efficient. “The power of innovation is clear,” Xu said. “Digital tools help save lives and bring services to the last mile.”
Xu also attended a ceremony celebrating ten years of India’s digital transformation. The event brought together ministries of Health, Women and Child Development, and the National Health Authority to mark a decade of home‑grown digital systems that India uses and shares with the Global South.
Later the day, Xu met Suman Bery, the NITI Aayog Vice‑Chairperson. They discussed strengthening the SDG Coordination Centre at the state level, engaging the private sector for SDG‑aligned investment, and sharing India’s success stories—especially in digital health and SDG financing—with other countries.
India and UNDP continue to push ahead with innovative solutions and knowledge exchange to meet SDG goals, promote sustainable finance, and support states in driving community‑level impact. UNDP India highlighted its role as a trusted partner, confident that the partnership will keep advancing the country’s digital and sustainable development agenda.
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