Embassy of India,
Harare, Zimbabwe

Educational & Techinical Courses

Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation programme popularly known as "ITEC" was launched in 1964 as a bilateral programme of assistance of the Government of India. 

Under ITEC and its corollary SCAAP (Special Commonwealth Assistance for Africa Programme) 156 countries in Asia, East Europe, Central Asia, Africa and Latin America are invited to share in the Indian Developmental experience acquired over five decades of India’s existence as a free Nation.

ITEC is about cooperation and partnership for mutual benefit. It is response oriented and it addresses the needs of developing countries.

Ever since the inception of ITEC programme, training of thousands of nominees of ITEC Partner countries have been the most successful cooperation programme and is highly appreciated by the recipient countries. Training, both civilian and defence personnel, constitute about 40 percent of annual ITEC programme budget.

Civilian Training

Each year the Ministry of External Affairs empanels institutions, and training courses are identified. Thereafter, through Indian Missions abroad the information about the courses are disseminated to the Foreign Offices and other concerned departments of ITEC partner countries. Applications of the nominees of these countries, duly recommended by the Heads of Missions/Posts are then sent both to the MEA and the Institutions concerned. After scrutinizing the eligibility of such candidates, approvals for joining the courses are given by the TC Division.Government of India bears the entire expenditure for ITEC/SCAAP trainings in India, which include airfare, tuition fees, living allowances, medical expenses and book grants.

The training courses cover a wide variety of subjects such as Information Technology (IT); Parliamentary Studies; Accounts & Finance; Mass Communication; English Language Courses; Rural Development; Teachers’ training; Bank Management; Educational Planning & Administration; Entrepreneurship Development; Secretariat Training and Management; Standardization & Quality Assurance; Repair and Maintenance of Telecom Equipment and Computers; Fertilizer Quality control; Food Technology; Tool Design; Poultry Training; Manpower Research; Statistical Education; Non Conventional Energy Resources; IT in Law Enforcement; Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development; Water Resources, etc.

The entire cost of training under ITEC schemes, including the return international airfare, tuition fees, accommodation, emergency medical treatment, stipend, book allowances and study tour to different Indian cities are met by the Ministry of External Affairs of the Government of India.

Assistance to Zimbabwe under the ITEC programme has been a regular feature of India’s assistance to Zimbabwe for capacity building.ITEC is a successful and much sought after programme in Zimbabwe. Starting with 3 Zimbabweans in 1985, over 600 Zimbabweans have been trained in short-term civilian courses in India under the ITEC programme. After the India-Africa Forum Summit in April, 2008, the ITEC slots for Zimbabwe have been increased from 40 to 150 in 2011-12. Several ITEC trainees as a group expressed their appreciation for the training they received in India and the beneficial effects it has had on their careers. The number of ITEC/ICCR/IAFS slots utilized during 2012-13 was 257(ITEC 180, ICCR 15 and IAFS 62). These slots may touch 300 in 2013-14. The ITEC programme remains popular and is an important aspect of the bilateral relations.