Save the Children: India financial aid cut 'premature'

Despite India’s impressive economic progress, 1.6 million children died in India last year - a quarter of all global child deaths. We agree that in the longer term, aid to India should be phased out as the country continues to develop, but we believe that the poorest children will need our ongoing help, and to cut bilateral aid in 2015 is premature.

We welcome the UK’s commitment to provide technical assistance post-2015, and believe that even if aid is cut to the Indian government, the UK should explore ways to support Indian non-governmental groups that address the needs of the poorest and their work tackling the tough issues that are the obstacles to wider progress – children excluded from health and education because of gender or caste, child and maternal mortality and women’s and girls’ rights.

We welcome the UK’s pledge to commit 0.7% of GDP to foreign aid, and recognise their leadership in development.