CBI Academy launches ITEC anti-corruption training for 24 officers from 16 nations
Synopsis
India's CBI Academy has opened its doors to 24 law-enforcement officers from 16 countries — from Nigeria to Panama — for a specialised ITEC course on anti-corruption investigation and asset recovery. It is a quiet but telling signal of India's ambition to become the go-to capacity-building partner for the Global South on financial crime.
Key Takeaways
The CBI Academy, Ghaziabad inaugurated a one-week course on anti-corruption investigation and asset recovery on 4 November 2026 .
24 officers from 16 ITEC partner countries are attending, spanning Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America.
The programme is conducted under the ITEC Programme of India's Ministry of External Affairs .
CBI Academy Director Suhail Sharma inaugurated the course, stressing the need for cross-border collaboration in asset recovery.
Key focus areas include financial investigations, tracking proceeds of crime, and confiscating illicit assets across jurisdictions.
The CBI Academy in Ghaziabad on Wednesday, 4 November 2026, inaugurated a one-week specialised training course titled 'Investigation of Anti-Corruption Cases and Asset Recovery', drawing 24 officers from 16 countries under India's Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme. The event underscores India's expanding role as a capacity-building hub for developing nations battling financial crime and graft.
Programme Overview and Objectives
Conducted under the ITEC Programme of the Ministry of External Affairs, the course is designed to equip participating officers with a thorough understanding of India's legal and institutional framework for combating corruption. Practical modules cover investigating corruption cases, identifying and tracking proceeds of crime, conducting financial investigations, attaching and confiscating illicit assets, and strengthening cross-border cooperation for asset recovery.
The curriculum emphasises real-world application — blending interactive sessions, case studies, and hands-on investigative modules — to enhance the professional capabilities of officers who return to their home jurisdictions as frontline anti-corruption practitioners.
Participating Nations and Their Significance
The 16 ITEC partner countries represented at the programme are Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iraq, Lebanon, Madagascar, Maldives, Mali, Mauritius, Myanmar, Namibia, Nigeria, Panama, Paraguay, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. Their participation reflects what officials describe as a growing demand among developing economies for specialised capacity-building in fighting corruption and financial crime — challenges that frequently spill across borders.
Notably, the geographical spread — spanning Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America — signals that the ITEC framework is broadening its footprint well beyond India's immediate neighbourhood.
What the CBI Academy Director Said
Suhail Sharma, Director of the CBI Academy, inaugurated the programme and addressed participants, stressing the critical importance of international cooperation in tracing corruption proceeds. He noted that effective asset recovery demands not only robust domestic legislation but also seamless collaboration between investigating agencies across countries. 'Effective asset recovery requires not only strong domestic laws but also seamless collaboration between investigating agencies of different countries,' Sharma said, according to officials.
India's Broader Anti-Corruption Diplomacy
The programme sits within a wider strategic intent: India has been positioning itself as a knowledge partner for the Global South on governance and law-enforcement matters. The ITEC Programme has historically provided technical assistance across sectors ranging from IT to agriculture, but its expansion into specialised investigative training reflects a newer priority — helping partner nations recover stolen assets, which the United Nations estimates run into hundreds of billions of dollars annually across developing economies.
The week-long course is expected to foster durable knowledge-sharing networks between the CBI Academy and the law-enforcement agencies of participating nations, reinforcing India's stated commitment to global anti-corruption efforts.
Point of View
An area where its own agencies have hard-won experience. The 16-country attendance, stretching from West Africa to Latin America, is unusually diverse and suggests genuine demand rather than symbolic gesture. The real measure of impact, however, will be whether participating officers can translate classroom modules into cross-border mutual legal assistance requests — the step where most capacity-building programmes stall.
NationPress
4 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ITEC anti-corruption course at CBI Academy?
It is a one-week specialised training programme titled 'Investigation of Anti-Corruption Cases and Asset Recovery', inaugurated on 4 November 2026 at the CBI Academy in Ghaziabad. The course is conducted under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme of India's Ministry of External Affairs.
Which countries are participating in the CBI Academy ITEC programme?
Twenty-four officers from 16 countries are attending: Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iraq, Lebanon, Madagascar, Maldives, Mali, Mauritius, Myanmar, Namibia, Nigeria, Panama, Paraguay, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. The diverse spread reflects broad international demand for anti-corruption capacity-building.
What skills will the course impart to participating officers?
The programme covers investigating corruption cases, identifying and tracking proceeds of crime, conducting financial investigations, attaching and confiscating illicit assets, and strengthening international cooperation for asset recovery. It uses interactive sessions, case studies, and practical modules.
Who inaugurated the CBI Academy ITEC anti-corruption training?
CBI Academy Director Suhail Sharma inaugurated the programme. He stressed the importance of international cooperation and seamless collaboration between national investigating agencies for effective cross-border asset recovery.
Why is India hosting this anti-corruption training under ITEC?
India uses the ITEC framework to provide technical and capacity-building assistance to developing nations. Expanding it to specialised investigative training aligns with global efforts — led by bodies such as the UN — to help developing economies recover stolen assets and combat financial crime.
