International_RelationsEconomy
News 12 of 27

NDB Approved 139 Projects Worth $43 Billion; India Urged to Expedite Rupee Bond at BRICS

Intl. RelationsEconomyInfrastructureHIGH
Target:UPSC GS-IIMPSCTeachingSSC GAPrelims HighMains HighStatic GK Link
14 Sept 2026
~2 min
Source: The Hindu
Key Data:139 projects$43 billion$20 billion disbursed$10 billion India commitments32 projects India30% local-currency lending target
Bodies:New Development Bank (NDB)BRICSAsian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)China Interbank Bond Market
Practice MCQs from today's news ▸
What This Article Covers

1.18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi; India must maximise grouping without strengthening Beijing.

2.NDB approved 139 projects worth $43 billion; only $20 billion disbursed; AIIB outperforms with $69 billion across 350 projects.

3.India should expedite the ₹25,000 crore rupee bond programme and promote local-currency lending to reduce dollar reliance.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · High

The 18th BRICS Summit concluded in New Delhi, highlighting India's strategic dilemma between non-West and anti-West identities. The New Development Bank (NDB) remains a practical tool, but its limited lending ($43 billion in 139 projects over a decade) and slow disbursement ($20 billion) lag behind AIIB. India must push the long-delayed rupee bond and expand local-currency lending to reduce dollar dependence without strengthening China's position.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

NDB Projects Approved139 projects, worth $43 billion
NDB Disbursement$20 billion (only 46% of approved)
India's NDB Commitments$10 billion across 32 projects
AIIB Comparison111 members, $69 billion, 350 projects
Local Currency Lending Target30% by 2026 (NDB 2022-26 General Strategy)
Recent Panda Bond¥7 billion (~$1.04 billion) in China Interbank bond market
Planned Rupee Bond₹25,000 crore over 5 years (final stage as of May 2026)

1-Minute Revision

  • ›NDB Projects Approved: 139 projects, worth $43 billion
  • ›NDB Disbursement: $20 billion (only 46% of approved)
  • ›Target this Data: 139 projects approved by NDB, worth $43 billion; only $20 billion disbursed.
  • ›Target this Institution: New Development Bank (NDB) – founded 2015 by BRICS.
  • ›Target this Summit: 18th BRICS Summit held in New Delhi (2026).
  • ›Target this Data: India committed $10 billion across 32 NDB projects.

Mastered this topic? Test your knowledge with a full MCQ quiz.

Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

Q1Static LinkageEasy

Which multilateral development bank was established by the BRICS countries in 2015 to mobilise resources for infrastructure and sustainable development?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements regarding the New Development Bank (NDB):

1. The NDB has approved 139 projects worth about $43 billion since its inception.

2. The NDB's disbursement rate is nearly 100% of all approved loans.

3. The NDB has a target to conduct 30% of its lending and borrowing in local currencies by 2026.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

According to the news article, what is the approximate value of NDB commitments for projects in India?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

What is the primary strategic benefit for India in expanding the NDB's local-currency lending, as argued in the article?

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