The Government of India has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening Liberia's human resource and institutional capacity. Indian Ambassador to Liberia, H.E. Manoj Bihari Verma, made the announcement during the celebration of ITEC Day in Monrovia on October 28, 2026. The event brought together senior Liberian government officials, ITEC and Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) alumni, and representatives of partner institutions.
Approximately 600 Liberian professionals have benefited from the ITEC programme over the years. Ambassador Verma explained that Liberia's demand for the programme has continued to grow, with the country's initial allocation of 70 training slots for the 2025–26 financial year being fully utilized within the first six months. This strong demand prompted the Indian Government to provide an additional 86 slots.
For the current 2026–27 financial year, Liberia has been allocated 140 training slots, with participation already progressing well. The ITEC Programme, established by the Government of India in 1964, provides fully funded professional training opportunities to participants from partner countries across various fields. This allows them to acquire new skills and benefit from India's institutional expertise and development experience.
The ITEC Programme currently offers nearly 10,000 fully funded training opportunities annually and has benefited more than 225,000 professionals from over 160 countries. Ambassador Verma emphasized that the initiative is built on mutual learning and cooperation, with participants from partner countries contributing their knowledge, experiences, and perspectives to Indian institutions during their training.
India also supports Liberian students through scholarship opportunities, including the ICCR India-Africa Friendship Scholarship Scheme. Ambassador Verma disclosed that 24 Liberian students have been awarded ICCR scholarships this year, including 20 scholarships for master's and doctoral studies at prestigious Indian institutions. Recent specialized training programmes have been provided to Liberian professionals in areas such as occupational health and safety and nursing leadership.
Deputy Minister for Legal Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Cllr. Jeddi Mowbray Armah, commended the Government of India for its sustained investment in Liberia's human resource development. He challenged ITEC alumni to translate their knowledge and professional experiences gained in India into practical contributions within their respective institutions and communities.
The celebration highlighted the growing role of India's development partnership in supporting Liberia's professional workforce through specialized training, higher education scholarships, and institutional cooperation. With 140 training opportunities available for the 2026–27 financial year, the programme continues to offer Liberian professionals and public-sector institutions an avenue to strengthen their technical knowledge, professional skills, and contributions to national development.
Key points
- The Indian government has allocated 140 fully funded training slots for Liberian professionals under the ITEC Programme for the 2026–27 financial year.
- Approximately 600 Liberian professionals have benefited from the ITEC programme over the years.
- The ITEC Programme offers nearly 10,000 fully funded training opportunities annually and has benefited more than 225,000 professionals from over 160 countries.
