July-March foreign aid inflows up by 19.73%: EAD

ISLAMABAD: Foreign assistance inflows to Pakistan increased by 19.73 percent during the July-March period of fiscal year 2025-26, reaching USD6.59 billion compared to USD5.50 billion during the corresponding period last year.

According to statistics released by the Economic Affairs Division (EAD), bilateral grants during July-March 2025-26 stood at USD43.61 million. Major contributors included China with USD10.57 million, Japan USD19.20 million, Germany USD9 million, and Saudi Arabia USD3.31 million.

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Total bilateral loans during the period amounted to USD1.04 billion. Of this, USD910 million was provided by Saudi Arabia under the oil facility, followed by USD72.28 million from China, USD71 million from Denmark, USD47.72 million from France, USD23 million from Japan, USD22 million from Kuwait, USD12 million from Germany, and USD9.49 million from South Korea. Overall, bilateral grants and loans totalled USD1.169 billion during the July-March period.

Meanwhile, guaranteed bilateral loans from China increased by USD123.4 million on a month-on-month basis, reaching USD392.82 million during the period under review.

Multilateral grants received during July-March totalled USD54.79 million, including USD26.03 million from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), USD10.76 million from the International Development Association (IDA), USD2.72 million from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and USD14.50 million from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Total multilateral loans during July-March 2025-26 reached USD2.58 billion. Major lenders included the IDA with USD829 million, ADB USD727 million, Islamic Development Bank (short-term) USD483.78 million, IBRD USD376.36 million, Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) USD56.13 million, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) USD88.86 million, and IFAD USD21.39 million. Pakistan also received loans of USD201.90 million from Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) London and USD209.51 million from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Disbursements under the Naya Pakistan Certificates (NPC) during the July-March period amounted to USD2.03 billion, including USD1.44 billion under NPC Islamic and USD593.64 million under conventional NPCs.

The IMF lending facility under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) is not reflected in the accounts of the EAD or the Ministry of Finance, as it constitutes balance of payments (BoP) support and is recorded on the balance sheet of the State Bank of Pakistan.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026