India presented its inclusive approach to tribal development at the Annual Panel on Indigenous Peoples during the 63rd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva on Wednesday, 23 September 2026, with an Indian non-governmental organisation representative underscoring the country's efforts to link progress with dignity, cultural identity, and community participation.

India's Case Presented at the Global Forum

Addressing the Council, Arushi Lal Santania, Representative of the Rajasthan Samgrah Kalyan Sansthan (RSKS India), illustrated India's transformation through the lived reality of a tribal girl in a remote Indian village. She described how a generation once cut off from essential services is increasingly gaining access to residential education, healthcare, infrastructure, and stronger participation in local governance.

'India's experience shows that development can reach remote communities while respecting the identity, knowledge and cultural heritage that make those communities unique,' Santania said.

PM-JANMAN: The Flagship Programme in Focus

Santania highlighted the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) as a centrepiece of India's focused strategy. The ₹24,104 crore mission, launched by the government in November 2023, is designed to improve the socio-economic conditions of 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) communities spread across 18 states and one Union Territory. Interventions span housing, drinking water, education, healthcare, road and telecom connectivity, electrification, and sustainable livelihoods — addressing gaps faced by some of India's most isolated communities, many of whom live without pucca housing, clean drinking water, electricity, or road access.

Eklavya Schools and Community Governance

The RSKS India representative also drew attention to India's expanding Eklavya Model Residential School network. According to official data, 518 functional schools are operational, with more than 1,70,000 enrolled Scheduled Tribe students, of whom over 86,000 are girls. She further noted India's framework of community-based governance through Gram Sabhas and the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, which she described as providing an institutional foundation for meaningful participation in Scheduled Areas.

The Global Context and India's Call to Action

Against a backdrop of more than 476 million Indigenous people across 90 countries worldwide, Santania emphasised that indigenous knowledge and cultural traditions remain invaluable assets for sustainable development and humanity's shared heritage. She urged governments, international institutions, and heritage bodies to deepen meaningful community participation in conservation, management, and benefit-sharing. Her concluding message was pointed: development must expand opportunity without weakening identity. This comes amid growing international scrutiny over whether fast-tracked development programmes adequately protect the cultural and land rights of indigenous communities globally.