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Navigating State-NGO Partnership in India and A Way Forward For Collaborations in Development
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Keywords

State-NGO Partnership
Collaborative networks
Participatory Development
NGO typology
Political Economy

Categories

How to Cite

Dennis Thomas. (2026). Navigating State-NGO Partnership in India and A Way Forward For Collaborations in Development. South India Journal of Social Sciences, 24(2), 118-122. https://doi.org/10.62656/SIJSS.v24i2.2373

Abstract

In post-independence India, NGOs functioning was considered of utmost importance by the state, wherein these organisations were onboarded as partners in development programs, provided training to government officials, and supported field-level implementations. The change in NGOs' functioning from a welfare-oriented approach to an advocacy stance was met with tensions in partnership between the stakeholders, which lasted for a while. Later, the state started to recognise its work towards development and extended earlier measures of partnership for ensuring public service delivery. The neoliberalism era had seen a boom of NGOs taking the baton of development, resulting from the state’s cutdown on welfare funding and increase in corporate funding to them as part of their social responsibility in doing business. This review article examines the collaborative partnerships formed between the State and NGO from independence and hitherto. Various state policies and measures towards governing/onboarding NGOs are considered to analyse what circumstances led to partnership and instances of tension amongst stakeholders. A need for collaborative partnership between the stakeholders at different public administration units was emphasised for sustainable development.

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