Prince Rahim Aga Khan V, the 50th hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims and chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), held a series of meetings with India’s top leadership on Thursday as part of his first official visit to the country since assuming his role.
The visit has brought the long-standing India-AKDN partnership into focus, with discussions covering healthcare, agriculture, rural development, education, women’s empowerment, heritage conservation and community development.
Prince Rahim met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, with both sides discussing ways to strengthen cooperation in areas linked to India’s development priorities. Modi appreciated the Aga Khan Development Network’s longstanding contribution to India, particularly in sustainable urban development, water conservation, healthcare, rural sanitation, youth skill development and women’s empowerment.
The Prime Minister also highlighted the network’s work in preserving India’s cultural heritage. AKDN has been involved in the restoration and rejuvenation of historic sites, making heritage conservation an important part of its engagement with India.
Prince Rahim reaffirmed the network’s commitment to India’s inclusive growth and social progress. He also appreciated India’s development efforts and shared his views on how innovation can be used to improve people’s lives.
The discussions underline the wider role played by the Aga Khan Development Network, which works across several sectors beyond its religious and community responsibilities. Its activities include education, healthcare, agriculture, sanitation, cultural preservation, economic development and support for communities.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar also met Prince Rahim in New Delhi. Their conversation focused on the social development work carried out by the Aga Khan Development Network and its efforts in heritage preservation. The two also discussed opportunities for expanding cooperation in India and internationally.
The meeting comes at a time when India is looking to deepen partnerships that support sustainable development and community-level initiatives. Heritage preservation has also emerged as an important area of India-AKDN cooperation, particularly because of the network’s involvement in restoring historic structures and urban spaces.
Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan held another meeting with Prince Rahim at the Vice-President’s residence. Their discussions covered ways to strengthen cooperation between India and the Aga Khan Development Network, particularly in education and sports.
The two sides also discussed the network’s work in water and sanitation, women-led self-help groups and education. They reaffirmed the importance of dialogue in addressing challenges such as radicalisation and stressed that dialogue remains important for peace, stability and shared prosperity.
Prince Rahim also called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The President appreciated the work of the Aga Khan Development Network and its contribution to improving people’s quality of life through partnerships with governments and communities.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also met the Aga Khan during his Delhi visit. Their discussions covered cooperation in social development, irrigation, natural farming, including millets, cooperatives and solar energy. The meeting added another dimension to the growing engagement between the Indian government and the development network.
Prince Rahim arrived in India on September 9 and is scheduled to remain in the country until September 15. His visit was extended at the invitation of Vice-President Radhakrishnan and marks his first visit to India since he became the 50th Imam of the Ismaili Muslim community.
He succeeded his father, Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, following his death in February 2025. Prince Rahim now leads the Aga Khan Development Network, one of the major international organisations working on social and economic development in parts of Asia and Africa.
His India visit is not limited to meetings in the national capital. He is scheduled to travel to Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Hyderabad, where the network has ongoing development and community initiatives. The visits are expected to provide an opportunity to review projects and engage with institutions and communities connected with AKDN.
The latest meetings also reflect the breadth of the India-AKDN relationship. While healthcare, agriculture and rural development remain important areas, the engagement now covers education, women and youth empowerment, heritage preservation, water management, sanitation, sports and sustainable development.
The focus on practical development rather than a single area has given the visit a broader significance. It also continues a relationship between India and the Aga Khan institutions that has developed over several decades.
With Prince Rahim’s meetings involving the Prime Minister, President, Vice-President, Home Minister and External Affairs Minister, his week-long visit is being seen as an opportunity to review existing programmes and explore new areas of cooperation.
The engagement is expected to strengthen the India-AKDN partnership, particularly in projects aimed at improving living conditions, preserving cultural heritage and supporting inclusive development across communities.
