AIIB Can Expand Financing to AI, MSMEs and Skilling in India: FM Sitharaman

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) could further expand beyond physical infrastructure financing to include newer infrastructure in India that focuses on AI, MSMEs, and skilling. During her meeting with Zou Jiayi, President, AIIB, on the sidelines of the ‘AIIB 2026 Annual Meeting’ in Doha, Qatar, she noted that MSMEs are the backbone of India's economy, and assistance for AI adaptability and manpower training can help MSMEs.

The AIIB President congratulated FM Sitharaman on the successful BRICS Leaders' Summit in New Delhi. Finance Minister also congratulated AIIB on its strong performance in the first half of the year. She conveyed India's support for the Bank's 2027 budget plans and focus areas for scaling up operations. Both the leaders discussed the robust pipeline of AIIB's projects in India and expanding the global presence of AIIB, including in India, according to a Finance Ministry post on X.

Recalling her last visit to project sites in Delhi and Meerut, the AIIB President said that the bank will continue financing projects for people, urban development and environmental protection. FM Sitharaman reiterated that the Bank's regional centrality should continue to remain a defining institutional characteristic and an important anchor of its mandate. Earlier in the day, FM Sitharaman conveyed that Saudi Arabia is India’s trusted and valued strategic partner, highlighting the wide-ranging partnership between the two countries across defence, security, trade, investment, energy, technology, healthcare, education, culture and people-to-people exchanges.

She met Mohammed Aljadaan, Minister of Finance, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on the sidelines of the ‘AIIB 2026 Annual Meeting’ here, who congratulated the Union Finance Minister on India's robust economic performance and improving investment climate, and shared his perspective on the Saudi economy. Both the Ministers welcomed the successful conclusion of negotiations on the India-Saudi Arabia Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT), which will provide a stronger and more predictable framework for bilateral investments and further strengthen investor confidence, according to Finance Ministry. In her meeting with Ambassador Pietro Lazzeri, AIIB Governor from Switzerland, FM Sitharaman highlighted the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund as a trusted partner for foreign investors seeking to access opportunities in India, with high standards of governance and transparency; and Swiss investors could explore NIIF infrastructure funds to gain exposure to India's infrastructure sector.

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