Archive · 29 Sep 2026
Sitharaman Holds Talks on Investment and Cooperation Abroad
Nirmala Sitharaman is India’s Finance Minister.
She held meetings with officials from four countries while attending an Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank meeting in Qatar.
India and Saudi Arabia discussed putting their investment treaty into action soon.
The treaty is meant to make investing between the two countries more predictable.
Switzerland said it sees opportunities to invest in India and discussed financial cooperation.
Sitharaman encouraged Swiss investors to look at Indian infrastructure and financial-services projects.
India and Nepal talked about helping Nepal recover from floods.
They also discussed making a payment connection between India’s UPI and Nepal’s NPI work more effectively.
India and Jordan discussed cooperation and a plan to increase trade between the countries by 2030.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Jordan and Nepal during the AIIB annual meeting in Qatar.
India and Saudi Arabia welcomed the conclusion of negotiations on a bilateral investment treaty and discussed its early implementation.
Sitharaman invited Swiss investors to consider India’s National Investment and Infrastructure Fund and GIFT IFSC.
India and Nepal discussed flood recovery support and the early use of their UPI-NPI digital-payments linkage.
India and Jordan discussed stronger cooperation and a goal of increasing bilateral trade to USD 5 billion by 2030.
- Who
- Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met finance and other government officials from Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Nepal and Jordan.
- What
- The officials discussed investment treaties, infrastructure and financial cooperation, Nepal’s flood recovery, digital payments, and India-Jordan trade.
- When
- The meetings took place on the first day of Sitharaman’s Qatar visit, September 28, on the sidelines of the AIIB annual meeting.
- Where
- The meetings were held in Qatar.
- Why
- The discussions aimed to strengthen bilateral partnerships, expand investment and trade, support Nepal’s recovery, and advance financial cooperation.
- Saudi Arabia
- The two sides welcomed the successful conclusion of negotiations on the India-Saudi Arabia Bilateral Investment Treaty and discussed early implementation.
- Switzerland
- Swiss officials cited opportunities for portfolio diversification and investment in India and sought support for finalising a Bilateral Investment Protection Agreement.
- Indian infrastructure
- Sitharaman promoted the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund as a channel for foreign investment.
- GIFT IFSC
- Swiss investors and financial-services entities were invited to explore India’s financial-services centre, which offers financial products, tax benefits and a business-friendly environment.
- Nepal
- India and Nepal discussed Nepal’s reconstruction and recovery priorities following floods.
- Digital payments
- The early operationalisation and utilisation of the UPI-NPI linkage was discussed as beneficial to both countries.
- Jordan trade target
- India highlighted a goal of increasing bilateral trade with Jordan to USD 5 billion by 2030.
