SDF was established in 2008 by the SAARC countries to improve the livelihood of the
      people and to accelerate economic growth, social progress and poverty alleviation in the region.
      The Fund is implementing many SAARC projects and programmes. Project funding in SDF is to
      be taken up under three windows (Social, Economic and Infrastructure). Of the three windows of
      SDF, economic and infrastructure windows are being operationalized.
      Bilateral Cooperation
           Department of Economic Affairs also deals with Bilateral Development Assistance from G-
      8 countries, namely USA, UK, Japan, Germany, Italy, Canada and Russian Federation as well as
      the European Union. The Division also deals with the work relating to extension of Lines of
      Credit to developing countries. It is also the focal point for administering short term foreign
      training courses of the duration upto four weeks offered by various international agencies/
      countries.
      Bilateral Official Development Assistance
           India has been accepting external assistance from bilateral partners in the form of loans,
      grants and technical assistance for development of infrastructure, social sector and for
      enhancement of knowledge/ skills of Indian nationals at both Centre and state level. In terms of
      the guidelines issued in 2005, bilateral development assistance can be accepted from all G-8
      countries, namely USA, UK, Japan, Germany, France, Italy, Canada and the Russian Federation
      as well as from European Commission. European Union Countries outside the G-8 can also
      provide bilateral development assistance to India provided they commit a minimum annual
      development assistance of US$ 25 million.
      India-UK Bilateral Development Cooperation Programme
           The United Kingdom (UK) has been providing development assistance to India since 1958.
      Development assistance from UK is received mainly for achieving the SDG’s in the areas of
      health, education, administrative reforms, slum development, etc. The assistance from the UK,
      through its Department for International Development (DFID), flows to mutually agreed
      government projects and programmes in the form of financial and technical assistance. Presently,
      Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar are the three focus states of DFID.
      India-European Union Development Cooperation
           The European Union (EU) has been providing development assistance to India in the form
      of Grants. The priority areas include environment, public health and education. EU implements
      development cooperation programmes through Country Strategy Paper (CSP). The CSP is based
      on EU objectives, on the policy agenda of the partner country and on an analysis of the country/
      region situation.
      European Investment Bank
           The European Investment Bank (the Banque Europeenne d’Investissement) (EIB) is the
      European Union’s financing institution which was established in 1958 under the Treaty of Rome
      (1957) to provide financing for capital investment. The members of the EIB are the Member
      States of the European Union, who have all subscribed to the Bank’s capital. Outside the
      European Union, EIB financing operations are conducted principally from the Bank’s own
      resources but also, under mandate, from Union or Member States’ budgetary resources. Under