Officials from the US and India signed a Statement of Intent. / X/@usaid_india

Senior officials from the United States and India on June.17, signed a Statement of Intent to officially establish the Gandhi-King Development Foundation (GKDF) by October 2024. Designed to embody the shared principles of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., the GKDF will promote inclusive and sustainable development. The announcement to establish the Foundation was made on July.1 by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) India.

The Statement of Intent was signed during White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan’s visit to India. It builds on the US Congress’s passage of the Gandhi-King Scholarly Exchange Initiative Act in December 2020, sponsored by Representative Gregory W Meeks, which authorized USAID to create the Gandhi-King Development Foundation, the US Embassy in India said in a statement.
 

The U.S. & India are partnering to advance the Gandhi-King Development Foundation. Designed to embody the shared principles of Mahatma Gandhi & Martin Luther King Jr., the Foundation will promote inclusive & sustainable development. Read more here: https://t.co/aaphPlKbJ2 pic.twitter.com/0bxtFgd2Vd

— USAID India (@usaid_india) July 1, 2024

US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, said, “The Gandhi-King Development Foundation represents a transformative partnership between the United States and India, rooted in the visionary ideals of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. The foundation underscores our shared commitment to forging global progress by leveraging our collective strengths.”

The Gandhi-King Development Foundation represents a pioneering collaboration between the United States and India aimed at tackling global development challenges. Operating locally in India, it will leverage both public and private resources to further India’s national and international development goals.

These objectives include combating climate change, reducing tuberculosis, improving water and sanitation, mitigating the health impacts of air pollution, enhancing education outcomes, and promoting women's economic empowerment, the US Embassy statement added.

USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator for Asia Änjali Kaur, who signed the Statement of Intent on behalf of USAID in New Delhi, said, “USAID is proud to support the Gandhi-King Development Foundation, which will promote inclusive and sustainable development, symbolizing the friendship and common values of the United States and India.”