India has provided over 2 billion US $ worth of technical assistance to developing countries including neighboring countries under Technical & Economic Cooperation since 1964. India spends about 500 million rupees annually on ITEC activities.Addressing a function organized by the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu this afternoon to mark the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Day today, Nepal's Education Minister Sarbendra Shukla said such technical cooperation would further enhance the friendly relations between India and Nepal, adding that Nepal will need more trained men power in different fields once the new federal structure of the country comes into shape after promulgation of the new constitution. Speaking on the occasion Indian Ambassador Mr. Rakesh Sood said the first batch of 12 Nepali participants went from Nepal to India in the year 2000. Over the years, the number of seats allocated to Nepal under ITEC Programme has increased from 12 in the year 2000 to 90 this year. Ambassador Sood said though India itself is a developing country; it is willing to share its skills and experience more appropriate to the geographical and ecological conditions and the stage of technological development with several developing countries. He said from the year 2000 till date, nearly 250 participants from Nepal have benefited from attending short- term professional courses in India.AIR correspondent reports, Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation-ITEC was launched in 1954 as a bilateral programme of assistance by the Government of India. It is a flag ship bearer of India's technical cooperation efforts, not only because of its wide geographical coverage, but also for innovative forms of technical cooperation in which it has assisted.Under ITEC and its corollary Special Common Wealth Assistance for Africa Programme), 156 countries in Asia, East Europe, Central Asia, Africa and Latin America are invited to share in the Indian development experience acquired over six decades of India’s existence as a free nation. ITEC resources were used for financing Trilateral and Regional Progrmmes under the Economic Commission for Africa, UNIDO and Group of 77.