Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Engages with Global Leaders During G20 Meetings
During her recent trip to the United States for the G20 meetings, India’s Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman took the opportunity to meet with various international leaders and corporate executives in Asheville, South Carolina.
On September 1, 2026, among the significant discussions, Sitharaman met with Ajay Banga, the President of the World Bank. The Finance Ministry shared updates via their social media account on how Sitharaman acknowledged the World Bank’s ongoing support for India, especially highlighting the prompt approval of a $1.5 billion Development Policy Financing and other collaborative projects. Both leaders expressed a desire to enhance the partnership between India and the World Bank Group further.
The discussions also covered India’s efforts to create a Global Digital Public Infrastructure Knowledge Hub, which aims to explore the use of technology in various sectors, including agriculture.
Shifting her focus to New York, Minister Sitharaman engaged with corporate leaders at the Indian Consulate. One notable meeting was with Alejandro Perez, the Group COO of BNY Mellon. They discussed India’s impressive growth rate of 7.8 percent in the first quarter of the fiscal year 2026-27, along with the potential for increased investment from global financial institutions. Perez emphasized BNY Mellon’s commitment to India and the opportunities available within the country’s expanding financial sector and digital infrastructure.
In her meetings, Sitharaman also interacted with Sanjeev Ahuja, the Chairman and CEO of Tillman Holdings, and Dean Klisura, the president and CEO of Marsh Re. At a roundtable for investors organized by the Indian Consulate, she spoke to business leaders about creating capital assets and ensuring continued support for industries through infrastructure projects, particularly in aviation. She stressed the importance of establishing a supportive investment environment, nurturing AI and data center developments, and making credit more accessible for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
Sitharaman’s initiatives aim to create a more favorable business landscape for banks and industries, encouraging them to grow and adapt.
Introducing her at the event, India’s Ambassador to the US, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, highlighted the resilience of India’s economy, and he noted that both countries could greatly benefit from forging stronger trade and investment ties as India continues its rapid economic advancement.
