4 days ago
Sitharaman Urges Global Investors to Build for World from India
India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman spoke with investors and business leaders in Chicago.
She asked international companies to build factories and technology centres in India.
She said India should be used not only as a place to sell products, but also as a place to make products for the world.
She pointed to India’s workers, large market, infrastructure and technology systems as advantages.
These systems include Aadhaar, UPI and DigiLocker.
She said companies could invest in areas such as artificial intelligence, electronics, food processing and transportation.
She also promoted GIFT City as a place for international financial services.
Her goal was to attract long-term investment and encourage companies to develop products with Indian businesses.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman invited global investors to establish manufacturing, technology and innovation centres in India.
At a Chicago business roundtable, she promoted India as a platform for developing products and capabilities for global markets.
She highlighted opportunities in manufacturing, AI and digital technology, financial services, infrastructure, food processing, defence and advanced technologies.
Sitharaman said Aadhaar, UPI, DigiLocker, ONDC and India Stack provide digital platforms operating at population scale.
She cited GIFT City, production-linked incentives, infrastructure projects and the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund as investment opportunities.
- Who
- Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, global investors and business leaders.
- What
- Sitharaman urged international companies to manufacture in India and establish technology and innovation centres serving global markets.
- Where
- A high-level business roundtable in Chicago organised by India’s Consulate General in Chicago with the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum.
- When
- Friday, during Sitharaman’s six-day visit to the United States; the report was published on August 29, 2026.
- Why
- To attract long-term investment and encourage global companies to co-develop, co-produce and build products for India and international markets.
Key facts
- Meeting theme
- “Manufacture in India — for India and for the world”
- Highlighted sectors
- Manufacturing, AI and digital technology, financial services, infrastructure, food processing, defence and advanced technologies
- Digital infrastructure
- Aadhaar, UPI, DigiLocker, ONDC and India Stack
- GIFT City
- The minister said GIFT City had 1,250 registered entities as of June 2026
- Manufacturing policy
- Production-linked incentives are supporting a shift from basic assembly toward component manufacturing, engineering and advanced technologies
- Infrastructure opportunities
- Dedicated freight corridors, railway modernisation, electrification and high-speed rail
- Investment platform
- The National Investment and Infrastructure Fund
Quotes
Ministry of Finance
India's Ministry of Finance, commenting on the Chicago Business Roundtable
“A key focus of the meeting was 'Manufacture in India -- for India and for the world', with opportunities across manufacturing, AI & digital, financial services, infrastructure, food processing, defence and advanced technologies.”
livemint.com
“The next opportunity is to build higher-value businesses in AI, engineering, analytics, product development, semiconductors and electronics, with India’s Global Capability Centres increasingly becoming global innovation hubs.”
thehindubusinessline.com
Sources
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