The Government of India, in partnership with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), launched a new eight-year Country Strategic Opportunities Programme (COSOP) for the period 2026 to 2033. The programme was announced at the IFAD-India Partnership for Rural Prosperity event held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, with participation from senior government officials, IFAD leadership, development partners, private sector representatives and grassroots practitioners. COSOP 2026-2033 is aligned with the Government of India's Viksit Bharat@2047 vision and focuses on two strategic priorities: first, enhancing the social, economic and climate resilience of rural communities; and second, strengthening knowledge systems to scale proven development models across India and other countries of the Global South. The eight-year roadmap targets approximately three million rural households, equivalent to about 13.2 million individuals. It prioritises strengthening grassroots institutions such as Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and cooperatives, which act as critical linkages between farmers and markets, credit systems, technology platforms and infrastructure networks. On the sidelines of the event, IFAD and the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) signed a strategic partnership agreement to further strengthen rural finance systems and support innovation in agricultural and allied sectors. India's partnership with IFAD spans nearly five decades, during which around 35 rural development projects have been implemented across multiple states, supporting millions of rural households and contributing to poverty reduction, women's empowerment and climate-resilient livelihoods.