Budget 2026: Most free aid from a single country will be India

The state budget has included India being the one country that will provide the most amount of free aid to next year's estimated revenue.

As per next year's Budget Book, of the estimated MVR 64.2 billion budget, MVR 335 million will be in free aid. MVR 7.3 million out of that will be just from India, the largest sum in free aid from a country.

The second largest sum in free aid will be from the UAE with MVR 4.8 million. And the third largest sum in free aid will be from MVR 3.8 million from Japan.

The budget also states that the Netherlands, Italy, South Korea, Pakistan and China will also provide free aid funds. With that, a total of MVR 85.6 million in free aid will be given to Maldives.

Along with countries providing free aid, international organizations that Maldives is a part of will also be providing free aid, amounting to MVR 224.7 million, as per the budget. From that, MVR 137.5 million will be from the International Development Association (IDA), which is the largest sum from an international organization.

The second largest sum from an international organization as free aid will be MVR 61.4 million from the Asian Development Bank (ADB). And the third largest sum will be MVR 12.3 million from the Green Climate Fund (GCF), as per the budget.

It is being said that approximately MVR 32 million will be given to Maldives next year from UN agencies. Of that amount, the largest contribution will be at MVR 13.9 million from the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). In second is UNICEF, with MVR 11.5 million to be given to Maldives.