India’s push to strengthen food and nutrition security received a significant boost as the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to expand milk fortification initiatives nationwide.

The agreement was formalised during the National Seminar on Milk for Suposhit Bharat in New Delhi and sets the stage for a coordinated effort to embed value addition and fortification across India’s dairy ecosystem—from cooperative networks to market-based channels and publicly funded nutrition programmes.

Fortification at scale through cooperatives

Under the MoU, NDDB and GAIN will collaborate to scale fortification across all milk variants, aligned with FSSAI standards, while strengthening quality assurance frameworks across the dairy value chain. A core pillar of the partnership is capacity building, with dairy cooperatives receiving targeted training and technical support to ensure consistent, compliant, and cost-effective fortification.

The collaboration also places emphasis on innovation in testing technologies and monitoring systems, aimed at improving traceability, reducing variability, and ensuring fortified milk delivers intended nutritional outcomes at scale.

Addressing micronutrient gaps sustainably

India continues to face widespread micronutrient deficiencies, particularly of Vitamins A and D, even as milk consumption remains high. By leveraging the country’s cooperative-led dairy infrastructure, the NDDB–GAIN partnership seeks to convert milk into a reliable delivery vehicle for essential micronutrients, without disrupting farmer livelihoods or consumer affordability.

The MoU reflects a shared commitment to embedding nutrition outcomes within commercially viable and farmer-centric dairy systems, aligning public health goals with sustainable value chain economics.

Advancing the ‘Suposhit Bharat’ vision

By integrating fortification into everyday consumption, the initiative supports the broader national vision of a ‘Suposhit Bharat’—one where nutrition security is achieved not only through welfare schemes, but through mainstream food systems that reach households daily.

As India’s dairy sector continues to modernise, the NDDB–GAIN collaboration positions fortified milk as a cornerstone of nutrition-led growth—linking farmers, processors, and consumers in a value chain that delivers both economic and public health dividends.