India and Iraq: development partnership and cooperation

This article describes India's development partnership with Iraq: support for Iraq's relief and reconstruction, training and capacity building, health cooperation and artificial limb camps, and engagement between Indian and Iraqi think-tanks. It relies on the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) bilateral brief of June 2026.

Relief and reconstruction

According to the MEA brief of June 2026, India responded to the urgent needs of Iraq for relief and economic reconstruction, both directly and as part of international efforts under UN auspices. India supported Iraq with financial assistance, through UN agencies, for its reconstruction.

Training and capacity building

India has allocated 200 ITEC slots to Iraq to provide assistance in training officials of the Government of Iraq. More than 100 Iraqi professionals availed of ITEC training in 2025-26.

Specific training activities recorded in the brief are:

In June 2025, 34 young diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Iraq completed the 5th Special Course for Diplomats conducted by the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service, New Delhi.
In January 2026, 12 Iraqi yoga students took part in a yoga teachers training course under ITEC held in Bangalore.
In October 2024, two counsellor level officers from Iraq's Ministry of Foreign Affairs took part in the ITEC Executive Programme on "Data for Development Capacity Building Initiative" (D4D-CBI), conducted by NILRED (National Institute of Labour Economics Research and Development).
In February-March 2024, 13 Iraqi yoga students took part in an advance level course for yoga teachers training under ITEC held in Bangalore.

Health cooperation

The brief states that a number of Indian hospitals are on the panel of the Iraqi Health Ministry, which sends eligible Iraqi patients to them. A number of Indian doctors and medical teams visit Iraq or organise medical camps for short periods in various parts of the country.

The number of Indian visas issued in Iraq, mostly for medical treatment, is given in this guide's practical article.

Jaipur Foot camps

During the year of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, a Jaipur Foot Camp was organised in Karbala from November 24, 2018 to January 4, 2019. A similar camp, on a much larger scale, with 1000 artificial limbs, was held in Baghdad in November 2023.

Engagement with Iraqi think-tanks

The brief describes links between Indian institutions and several Iraqi research bodies.

Al Nahrain Centre for Strategic studies

The Al Nahrain Centre for Strategic studies was set up with the help of the US Government. It is under the administrative control of Iraq's National Security Council, reporting directly to the NSA. The Nahrain Centre has an association with IDSA.

Al-Rafidain Center for Dialogue

The Al-Rafidain Center for Dialogue (RCD) is an Iraqi think-tank based in Najaf City. In June 2024, the Global South Centre of Excellence at RIS signed a Letter of Association and an MoU for Cooperation with RCD.

In May 2026, a delegation led by the Ambassador visited the RCD headquarters in Najaf and met Prof. Dr. Asaad Kadhim Shabib, Executive Director of RCD. According to the brief, he stressed the need to deepen ties with India, including through intellectual webinars, translating English books into Arabic and promoting the heritage of India in Iraq.

Middle East Research Institute

The Middle East Research Institute (MERI), based in Erbil in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, is an independent, not-for-profit organisation focused on policy issues relating to the Middle East, and to Kurdistan and Iraq in particular. A virtual meeting was held between the Global South Centre of Excellence at RIS and MERI on 3 April, 2024, and RIS signed a Letter of Association with MERI in April 2024. MERI invited the Global South Center of Excellence (GSCE) to its flagship annual conference in October, 2024 in Erbil.

Koya University

M/s Accelerate India has signed an agreement for entrepreneurship development and innovation with the Koya University in Sulaymaniyah.

Since the brief of June 2026

Later developments in India and Iraq relations, from MEA publications, newest first. The article above reports the brief at its date.

Questions and answers

How many ITEC slots does India give Iraq?

According to the MEA brief of June 2026, India has allocated 200 ITEC slots to Iraq for training officials of the Government of Iraq, and more than 100 Iraqi professionals availed of ITEC training in 2025-26.

Has India held Jaipur Foot camps in Iraq?

Yes. A Jaipur Foot Camp was organised in Karbala from November 24, 2018 to January 4, 2019, and a larger camp with 1000 artificial limbs was held in Baghdad in November 2023.

Does India train Iraqi diplomats?

In June 2025, 34 young diplomats from Iraq's Ministry of Foreign Affairs completed the 5th Special Course for Diplomats conducted by the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service, New Delhi.

Sources

This article reports what the sources state at their date and does not add facts from elsewhere. Figures, office holders and agreements may have changed since. Diplo is independent and not affiliated with any government. Suggest a correction.