<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-99.A
<SEQUENCE>7
<FILENAME>clientletter.txt
<DESCRIPTION>EXHIBIT 99.A(V)
<TEXT>
                                    OFFER BY

                              THE INDIA FUND, INC.

                              TO PURCHASE FOR CASH
                  UP TO 15% OF THE FUND'S OUTSTANDING SHARES OF
                                  COMMON STOCK

            THE OFFER AND WITHDRAWAL RIGHTS WILL EXPIRE AT 5:00 P.M.,
    NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2003 ("REPURCHASE REQUEST DEADLINE")


THIS  REPURCHASE  OFFER IS NOT CONDITIONED ON ANY MINIMUM NUMBER OF SHARES BEING
TENDERED,  BUT IS  SUBJECT  TO OTHER  CONDITIONS  AS  OUTLINED  IN THE  OFFER TO
REPURCHASE AND IN THE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.

                                                                 August 22, 2003

To Our Clients:

      Enclosed for your  consideration is the Offer to Repurchase,  dated August
22, 2003, of The India Fund, Inc., a Maryland  corporation  registered under the
Investment  Company  Act  of  1940  as  a  closed-end,   diversified  management
investment  company (the "Fund"),  and a related  Letter of  Transmittal  (which
together  constitute the "Offer to  Repurchase"),  pursuant to which the Fund is
offering  to  repurchase  up to 15% of the Fund's  outstanding  shares of Common
Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the "Shares"),  upon the terms and conditions
set forth in the  Repurchase  Offer.  The Fund has  established a record date of
August 15, 2003, for  identifying  stockholders  eligible to receive  Repurchase
Offer materials.

      The Offer to Repurchase and the Letter of Transmittal  are being forwarded
to you for your information only and cannot be used by you to tender Shares held
by us for your  account.  We are the  holder of  record of Shares  held for your
account.  A TENDER OF SUCH SHARES CAN BE MADE ONLY BY US AS THE HOLDER OF RECORD
AND ONLY PURSUANT TO YOUR INSTRUCTIONS.

      Your attention is called to the following:

            (1) The  purchase  price to be paid for the  Shares is an amount per
      Share, net to the seller in cash, equal to 100% of the net asset value per
      Share as determined by the Fund at the close of regular trading on the New
      York Stock Exchange on September 26, 2003 (the "Repurchase Pricing Date"),
      minus a  repurchase  fee (the  "Repurchase  Fee") equal to 2% of net asset
      value per Share.  Through the Repurchase  Request Deadline  (September 12,
      2003),  the current  net asset  value of Fund Shares can be obtained  from
      Georgeson  Shareholder  Communications Inc., the Fund's Information Agent,
      by  calling  toll free at  1-866-297-1264  or, for banks and  brokers,  at
      212-440-9800.  The net  asset  value  of the  Fund is  calculated  weekly,
      however,  the net asset value will be  available  daily from  September 8,
      2003 to September 12, 2003.

            (2) The Repurchase  Offer is not conditioned upon any minimum number
      of Shares being tendered.

            (3) If the Repurchase Offer is not suspended or postponed,  the Fund
      will purchase all Shares  validly  tendered  prior to 5:00 p.m.,  New York
      City time,  on  September  12,  2003,  the  Repurchase  Request  Deadline,
      provided that the number of Shares tendered by all  stockholders  does not
      exceed 15% of the Fund's  outstanding  Shares. In the event that more than
      15% of the Fund's  outstanding  Shares are tendered,  the Fund will either
      (1) increase the number of Shares that the Fund is offering to  repurchase
      by an amount not to exceed 2% of the Shares  outstanding on the Repurchase
      Request Deadline,  or (2) purchase 15% of the Fund's outstanding Shares on
      a pro rata basis,  provided,  however, that the Fund may accept all Shares
      tendered by Stockholders who own, beneficially or of record, not more than
      99 Shares and who  tender all of their  Shares,  before  prorating  Shares
      tendered by others.

            (4)  Tendering  Stockholders  will not be obligated to pay brokerage
      commissions or, subject to Instruction 7, "Stock  Transfer  Taxes," of the
      Letter of  Transmittal,  stock transfer taxes on the purchase of Shares by
      the Fund pursuant to the Repurchase Offer.

<PAGE>


            (5) Your instructions to us should be forwarded in ample time before
      the  Repurchase  Request  Deadline,  September  12, 2003,  to permit us to
      submit a tender on your behalf. Instructions received after this date will
      not be honored.

      If you  wish to have  us  tender  any or all of  your  Shares,  please  so
instruct us by completing,  executing and returning to us the  instruction  form
set forth below. An envelope to return your  instructions to us is enclosed.  If
you  authorize  tender of your Shares,  all such Shares will be tendered  unless
otherwise  specified  below.  YOUR  INSTRUCTIONS  TO US SHOULD BE  FORWARDED  AS
PROMPTLY  AS POSSIBLE IN ORDER TO PERMIT US TO SUBMIT A TENDER ON YOUR BEHALF IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE REPURCHASE OFFER.

      The  Repurchase  Offer is not being made to, nor will  tenders be accepted
from or on behalf of, holders of Shares in any  jurisdiction in which the making
or  acceptance  of the  Repurchase  Offer  would not be in  compliance  with the
applicable law.

      NONE OF THE FUND, ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS NOR THE INVESTMENT MANAGER TO THE
FUND IS  MAKING  ANY  RECOMMENDATION  TO ANY  STOCKHOLDER  WHETHER  TO TENDER OR
REFRAIN FROM TENDERING SHARES IN THE REPURCHASE OFFER. EACH STOCKHOLDER IS URGED
TO READ AND EVALUATE THE REPURCHASE OFFER AND ACCOMPANYING MATERIALS CAREFULLY.


                                        2
<PAGE>


                                  INSTRUCTIONS

      The undersigned  acknowledge(s)  receipt of your letter,  and the enclosed
Offer to Repurchase, dated August 22, 2003 relating to The India Fund, Inc. (the
"Fund") to purchase up to 15% of the Fund's  outstanding shares of Common Stock,
par value $0.001 per share (the "Shares").

      This  will  instruct  you to  tender  to the Fund  the  number  of  Shares
indicated below (which are held by you for the account of the undersigned), upon
the terms and  subject to the  conditions  set forth in the Offer to  Repurchase
that you have furnished to the undersigned.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                   AGGREGATE NUMBER OF SHARES TO BE TENDERED:

                                 ________ Shares

                     ENTER NUMBER OF SHARES TO BE TENDERED.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                    ODD LOTS

      This section is to be completed ONLY if Shares are being tendered by or on
behalf of a person  owning  beneficially  or of record an  aggregate of not more
than 99 shares. The undersigned:

[]   Is the  beneficial  or  record  owner of an  aggregate  of not more than 99
     Shares,  all of which are being  tendered,  and hereby  represents that the
     above indicated information is true and correct as to the undersigned.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  SIGNATURE BOX



________________________________________________________________________________


________________________________________________________________________________
                                 (SIGNATURE(S))



________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

                     (PLEASE PRINT NAME(S) AND ADDRESS HERE)

________________________________________________________________________________
                          (AREA CODE AND TELEPHONE NO.)


________________________________________________________________________________
               (TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION (SOCIAL SECURITY) NUMBER)


Date:___________________________________ , 2003


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                                        3



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