FM Sitharaman on US visit from today; to attend IMF-WB annual meetings

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will arrive here on Tuesday to attend an important meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

The finance minister during her visit will also hold a bilateral meeting with US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.

Sitharaman upon her arrival will participate in a fireside chat on "India's Economic Prospects and Role in the World Economy" at the prestigious Brookings Institute think-tank and soon after hold a bilateral meeting with Yellen at the Department of Treasury.

At an official dinner hosted by India's Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu, nearly 30 senior representatives of the US Administration, World Bank, IMF, and CEOs of the private sector are expected to participate.

In addition to her one-on-one meeting with the IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and World Bank President David Malpass, the finance minister is scheduled to have bilateral meetings with countries like Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Netherlands, Australia, Bhutan, Egypt, New Zealand, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates.

Given that India will take over the G-20 presidency this December, Sitharaman's participation in the annual meetings of the IMF and the World Bank, as well as the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governor (FMCBG) meetings gain significance.

She is also scheduled to hold meetings with leaders and heads of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the European Commission, as well as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The finance minister will on October 13 also address faculty and students of Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies on Technology, Finance and Governance: Multiplier Effect.

She is also scheduled to visit the National Science Foundation and interact with its Director S Panchanathan and his colleagues to understand their focus areas and possible partnerships to strengthen the US-India collaboration to stimulate private investment.

Sitharaman will also attend two separate round tables with the US-India Business Council - Confederation of Indian Industries (USIBC-CII), as well as, the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum - Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (USISPF-FICCI) on Saturday to interact with industry leaders for strengthening investment and innovation in India-US corridor and also explain investment opportunities in India's digital revolution.