ABSTRACT
In light of India's increasing contribution to international humanitarian action in both its immediate neighbourhood and beyond, this chapter explores the degree of isomorphism between the humanitarian principles and practices of India and Development Assistance Committee (DAC) donors. It's contribution is thus twofold: first, it provides particular knowledge on the principles and practices guiding India's approach to humanitarian action; second, it contributes to the more general discussion of how the humanitarian action of non-DAC donors may change and construct international aid regimes. When analysing the principles and preferences of Indian foreign policy, two important factors stand out: the region's historical experiences, above all with regards to colonialism. The second important factor is how domestic concerns feed into India's foreign policy strategy. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) outcome budget report 2013-14, nearly 47 percent of the ministry's overall budget pertains to technical and economic cooperation with other countries.
