Why this matters now
ADB is tested for: founded 19 Dec 1966 at Manila; signed 4 Dec 1965 Manila Conference; HQ Manila Philippines; 68 members (49 Asia-Pacific + 19 non-regional); largest shareholders Japan + USA 15.6% each, China 6.4%, India 6.3%, Australia 5.8%; president traditionally Japanese; Masato Kanda (Japan, took charge 24 Feb 2024); India founding member + 2nd largest borrower after PRC; ADB finance ordinary capital resources (OCR) + concessional Asian Development Fund (ADF) + Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund; ADB Strategy 2030 7 priorities; energy +1.5°C alignment 2023; member of the multilateral development bank (MDB) reform agenda.
Governance & structure
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| HQ | Manila, Philippines |
| Founded | 19 Dec 1966 (signed 4 Dec 1965 Manila Conference) |
| Members | 68 (49 Asia-Pacific + 19 non-regional) |
| President | Masato Kanda (Japan, 2024-); traditionally Japanese |
| Voting weight | Capital + basic share. Japan 15.6%, USA 15.6%, China 6.4%, India 6.3%, Australia 5.8% |
| Lending arms | Ordinary Capital Resources (OCR), Asian Development Fund (ADF), Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund (APDRF) |
| Triple-A rating | S&P, Moody’s, Fitch |
India & ADB
- India founding member 1966; 2nd-largest borrower ($59 b cumulative, as of 2024).
- Resident mission opened New Delhi 1992.
- Sectors: transport, urban, energy, finance, education, water.
- Recent large loans: $1.5 b for COVID emergency 2020; $250 m for Mumbai metro; $400 m skills development.
- India-ADB Country Partnership Strategy 2023-27 — three pillars: (i) inclusive economic transformation (ii) accelerated climate action (iii) deepen private sector role.
Compared with peer MDBs
| Bank | HQ | Members | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| World Bank (IBRD) | Washington DC | 189 | 1944 |
| ADB | Manila | 68 | 1966 |
| AfDB | Abidjan | 81 | 1964 |
| IDB | Washington DC | 48 | 1959 |
| EBRD | London | 71 | 1991 |
| AIIB | Beijing | 109 | 2016 |
| NDB (BRICS) | Shanghai | 9 | 2015 |
UPSC angle
Know ADB ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK — founded 19 DEC 1966 signed 4 Dec 1965 Manila Conference; HQ MANILA PHILIPPINES; 68 MEMBERS (49 Asia-Pacific + 19 NON-REGIONAL); LARGEST SHAREHOLDERS Japan 15.6% + USA 15.6% + China 6.4% + INDIA 6.3% + Australia 5.8%; President TRADITIONALLY JAPANESE; MASATO KANDA (Japan, 24 Feb 2024 onwards); INDIA FOUNDING MEMBER 1966 + 2nd LARGEST BORROWER after PRC ($59 b cumulative 2024); ADB FINANCE Ordinary Capital Resources OCR + concessional Asian Development Fund ADF + Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund APDRF; ADB STRATEGY 2030 7 priorities; ENERGY 1.5°C alignment 2023; TRIPLE-A rating S&P Moody’s Fitch; India resident mission New Delhi 1992; sectors transport urban energy finance education water; INDIA-ADB CPS 2023-27 three pillars inclusive transformation + climate + private sector; peer MDBs World Bank IBRD 1944 Washington DC 189; AfDB 1964 Abidjan 81; IDB 1959 Washington DC 48; EBRD 1991 London 71; AIIB 2016 Beijing 109; NDB BRICS 2015 Shanghai 9.
Frequently asked questions
Where is ADB headquartered?
At Manila, Philippines — the only major UN-system multilateral development bank headquartered in the Global South.
Why is the ADB president always Japanese?
Convention since founding (1966) — Japan was the largest shareholder + initial driver. Tied to Japan’s tradition heading ADB and US heading World Bank.
Is India a member of ADB?
Yes — founding member (1966) and currently the second-largest borrower after the PRC. The India-ADB Country Partnership Strategy 2023-27 is the active programme.
How does ADB differ from AIIB?
ADB (Manila, 1966, Japan-led, 68 members, AAA-rated) vs AIIB (Beijing, 2016, China-led, 109 members, also AAA). ADB focuses on the Asia-Pacific; AIIB focuses on infrastructure globally.