Thaindian News

New Delhi, Feb 3 (ANI): Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Haruhiko Kuroda called on Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee here on Thursday, and the duo agreed for strengthening relationship and mutual cooperation.

Mukherjee said India has been a prime borrower of ADB for last 25 years and acknowledged that borrowings from it has helped a lot especially in substantive funding of infrastructure projects.

“Asian Development Bank (ADB) has been playing not only the role of prime lender for us but also a development bank for the whole region. India has been a prime borrower of ADB for last 25 years as it was in 1986 when first borrowing was made by India from ADB on the initiative of then Prime Minister late Rajeev Gandhi,” said Mukherjee after Kuroda called on him in his office here.

Kuroda earlier said that India is not only leading the global economy, also playing a major role in this region.

“We are celebrating Silver Jubilee anniversary of our relationship and cooperation and hope for another decade of strengthening relationship and mutual cooperation between ADB and India,” he said.

Pranab Mukherjee said that India is also promoting Public Private Partnership (PPP) especially in infrastructure projects, as we need one trillion dollars for this purpose during the 12th Plan out of which 50 percent has to come from private sector.

The Finance Minister said that to mark the Silver Jubilee Anniversary of relationships, India would be willing partner with ADB in promoting and developing regional and sub-regional cooperation in this region.

Mukherjee said that India would be hosting ADB Regional Meeting in 2013. He hoped that India’s long-standing association with ADB would be further strengthened in years to come. (ANI)