Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) President Zou Jiayi and suggested expanding the bank’s financing focus beyond physical infrastructure to areas including AI, MSMEs and skilling. The Economic Times
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met AIIB President Zou Jiayi on Tuesday on the sidelines of the bank’s annual meeting. During the meeting, she suggested that AIIB expand its financing focus to include newer infrastructure centred on artificial intelligence, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and skilling. The Economic Times
Sitharaman also conveyed India’s support for AIIB’s 2027 budget plans and focus areas for scaling up operations. She said the bank’s regional centrality should continue to remain an important part of its mandate.
According to the Finance Ministry, Sitharaman highlighted the role of MSMEs and said financing for AI adaptability and manpower training could support these businesses. The two leaders also discussed AIIB’s project pipeline in India and its expanding global presence. inkl
India is the second-largest shareholder in AIIB after China. The Beijing-headquartered development bank began operations in 2016 and currently has 111 approved members. AIIB has a capital base of $100 billion, according to the report. The Economic Times
