161. Editorial Note
The sixth meeting of the India consortium, organized by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, took place in Washington on July 30, 1962. The consortium resumed the discussions which had adjourned without conclusion in May. The meeting was attended by the members that had participated in the meeting on June 2, 1961 (see Document 24), plus Austria, Belgium, Italy, and the Netherlands. The representatives of Austria and the Netherlands attended as observers. Belgium and Italy joined the consortium, raising the number of member countries to ten.
According to the press release issued at the close of the meeting, the consortium considered India’s requirements for fiscal year 1962/1963, [Page 317] the second year of its current 5-year plan for economic development. Preliminary commitments for the year had been made at the June 1961 meeting. Because of the addition of Belgium and Italy as contributing members, the total committed by the consortium for 1962/1963 increased to $1.07 billion from the $955 million anticipated in 1961. The U.S. commitment for the year was $435 million. The United States had indicated at the 1961 meeting that it intended to contribute $500 million for 1962-1963, but Congressional requirements mandated that the U.S. contribution be proportionate to the contributions of the other members. The U.S. representative indicated that the United States was prepared to match further commitments of other members of the consortium up to a total U.S. contribution of $500 million. (Telegram 340 to New Delhi, July 30; Department of State, Central Files, 891.00/7-3062)