2024-25 bilateral allocation [budget estimate]

$14.3 million

2024-25 total Australian ODA [budget estimate]

$103.1 million

2023-24 bilateral allocation [budget estimate]

$14.3 million

2023-24 total Australian ODA [budget estimate]

$127.1 million

2022-23 total Australian ODA [actual]

$46.5 million

Australia is working with partners in South and Central Asia to create a stable, prosperous and resilient region. Australia's development cooperation in South and Central Asia focuses on addressing transboundary challenges, enhancing regional cooperation, and deploying our expertise in water resources, agriculture, trade and infrastructure to support long-term stability and economic resilience.

The South and Central Asia Regional program supports technical assistance, project preparation, analysis and research, capacity building, people-to-people links, advocacy and policy reform. Gender equality, disability inclusion and climate change are focuses of all investments under the regional program. Australia is also building the capability of regional institutions, including the Indian Ocean Rim Association, and promoting greater cooperation in maritime safety and security, women's economic empowerment and the blue economy of the Indian Ocean Region.

More information on:

• South and Central Asia Regional Program
• South and Central Asia Regional Development Cooperation Factsheet
• Global programs addressing health security

Australia's engagement in South Asia is characterised by strong people-to-people links, cultural ties and increasing trade and investment. South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, comprising Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Australia is an engaged Indian Ocean partner, with strong relationships across the region, including with our closest partners: India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Maldives. Our partnership with India is deeper and more consequential than ever, and we are working to deliver on our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Strong relationships are important for navigating the shared challenges and opportunities our region faces.

More than 1.5 million Australians claim South Asian heritage, and South Asian migrant communities are among our fastest growing. We share and foster close people-to-people ties through Australia Awards, the New Colombo Plan and the Australian Volunteers Program. Expertise through Australian Government agencies is highly valued and sought after, particularly in agriculture, infrastructure, energy transition, environment, ocean and water resource management, and trade. Australian-supported technical assistance and training are expanding trade, investment and connectivity in South Asia.

Objectives of the Australia – South Asia Regional Development Partnership

Australia's objective is that the nations of our shared Indian Ocean region are able to exercise sovereignty and have options and agency in the areas that count. This covers responses to climate change, connectivity, infrastructure and inclusion. To position ourselves to offer meaningful choices, we have taken stock of Australia's place in the South Asia region and our shared priorities.

Objective 1: Enhance economic growth, regional cooperation and linkages

Australia will work with partners to support regional economic growth through increased infrastructure investment and a stronger focus on integrating climate considerations in accordance with G20 infrastructure principles.

We will help strengthen regional architecture, linkages and collaboration between institutions and individuals, including with those in Australia.

Increased skills development and mobility opportunities will be delivered primarily through Australia Awards Scholarships, Fellowships, short courses and professional development opportunities. We will continue to invest in these activities to build skills, support development and enhance linkages within the region and with Australia. This will create more opportunities to invest in the education of the region's future leaders and workforce and to better harness the expertise of alumni from our programs.

Objective 2: Contribute to a climate resilient South Asia region through water security

Action on climate change is central to Australia's national development priorities. Australia's International Development Policy recognises that measures to adapt and build resilience to climate impacts are urgently needed to defend against climate-induced loss and damage. We are committed to considering climate risk in our programming and aligning our investments with partners' NDCs and National Adaptation Plans.

Australia's development programming in South Asia will enhance state and community resilience through a focus on water security and managing the impacts of climate change, as disasters grow more severe and outpace our collective ability to manage risk (for both mainland and maritime countries). Australia will work with partners to deliver investments that can cope with and adapt to risks, including on environment, the blue economy, water resource management and climate change.

Climate Change

South Asian countries (especially Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Maldives and Pakistan) are among the most vulnerable to climate change impacts, facing rising sea levels, flooding, drought and extreme temperatures. More than 750 million people in South Asia have been impacted by one or more climate-related disasters in the past 2 decades.

Changes in rainfall patterns, increased extreme weather events, rapid urbanisation and growing industrial demands are leading to extreme water vulnerability across South Asia. High levels of water scarcity in agricultural areas and over-extraction of groundwater are leading to reduced crop yields, affecting farmer livelihoods and exacerbating poverty. Poor quality water and mismanagement of water resources is causing increases in waterborne diseases.

As the driest continent, Australia has significant experience in water resource management, circular economy approaches, and managing transboundary water allocations and markets. We have a decades-long history of working with South Asian governments as a region to support improved water management in rural and urban settings for more climate resilient communities and cities. Through various partners, Australia is helping mitigate the impact of floods and cyclones, and agencies such as the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) are building on impactful research in resilient farming systems, flood prevention, natural hazards mitigation and biodiversity loss reduction. The regional DPP will have a great focus on climate change as a cross-cutting theme in all investments and on water security.

Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion

Although there has been some progress to increase inclusion of marginalised and vulnerable groups in South Asia, there are still myriad challenges facing these groups, including women and girls, people with disability and people experiencing other forms of marginalisation and discrimination.

South Asia has one of the lowest rates of female labour force participation globally, exacerbating gender inequality and creating opportunity losses in household incomes, and national productivity and economic growth. The average South Asia labour force participation rate is 78.9 per cent for men and only 39.9 per cent for women. The gender pay gap is particularly pervasive in South Asia; some countries report disparities of more than 30 per cent.

Gender-based violence rates are some of the highest in the world. The prevalence of lifetime intimate partner violence 35 per cent higher than the global average.

The prevalence of disabilities in South Asia is varied and underreported. There is limited accurate, disaggregated data available on disability prevalence in South Asia. Information on barriers to participation and access is difficult to find. Health inequalities are usually more acute for people with disability.

Australia is well placed to help advance gender equality and inclusion in South Asia. DPP consultations confirmed that Australia is viewed as a leader in promoting gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI). Through our regional programs we will provide platforms to share lessons across the region and support local leaders to build networks to drive change. The South Asia DPP will mainstream GEDSI considerations across current and new investments, including through targeted GEDSI activities; monitoring, evaluation and learning; and ensuring training is inclusive. We will actively encourage our partners to increase their focus on GEDSI. The DPP mid-cycle review will consider progress on GEDSI, including lessons from complementary efforts in bilateral and global programs.