India remains ADB’s largest private sector market; lender eyes $1 bn direct support in 2026

Bhargav Dasgupta, Asian Development Bank (ADB) Vice-President (Market Solutions)
| Photo Credit:
Eric Sales

India remains the top market for the Asian Development Bank’s private‑sector arm, with the multilateral lender projecting roughly $1 billion in direct financing this year for projects that match the nation’s development goals.

“In the previous year, we delivered over $4 billion for sovereign clients and above $1 billion for private‑sector clients using our own capital,” said Bhargav Dasgupta, ADB Vice‑President (Market Solutions), in a conversation with PTI.

He added that an equivalent sum was raised from other sources, meaning that private‑sector funding through the ADB totalled $2 billion in 2025.

When questioned about this year’s plans, Dasgupta replied that the momentum on the private‑sector front will be kept up.

Discussing focus areas for private‑sector finance, he mentioned that ADB will keep supporting renewable and clean energy, green hydrogen, e‑mobility and green data centres.

The Manila‑based multilateral also directs its efforts toward urban infrastructure, sustainable agriculture and financial inclusion.

“This aligns fully with the Indian government’s priorities, as our country‑partnership agenda is developed jointly with the government,” he noted.

Regarding trade and supply‑chain finance, Dasgupta pointed out a 40 % increase in the first four months of 2026, driven by the West Asia crisis.

He explained that trade and supply‑chain financing are facilitating the import of fertilizer, energy and food—essential commodities for many nations.

Last month, ADB and Standard Chartered Bank signed pacts to boost supply‑chain finance in India via risk‑sharing mechanisms that cover both dollar and rupee transactions.

The pacts feature a risk‑participation structure set up at GIFT City for dollar‑denominated deals and a partial‑guarantee facility for onshore rupee transactions.

A central element of the partnership is its emphasis on emerging and underserved supply‑chain‑finance segments, especially distributor financing, marking ADB’s inaugural foray into this area in the market.

Published on June 21, 2026