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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman held a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the AIIB (Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank) 2026 Annual Meeting in Doha, seeking to deepen Indias investment and economic ties with Saudi Arabia, Switzerland and Jordan. The FM also discussed post-flood reconstruction support and digital payments connectivity with Nepal, as per the Ministry of Finance.
The Ministry, in a series of announcements on its official X account, said that during her meeting with Saudi Arabias Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan, Sitharaman welcomed the successful conclusion of negotiations on the India-Saudi Arabia Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT), which is expected to provide a stronger and more predictable framework for bilateral investments and bolster investor confidence. Also, H.E. Mr. @MAAljadaan expressed keen interest in welcoming investments from India, the statement read. In a separate meeting with Switzerland's AIIB Governor, Ambassador Pietro Lazzeri, Sitharaman highlighted the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) as a platform for foreign investors seeking exposure to India's infrastructure sector. Switzerland sees significant opportunities in India for portfolio diversification and investment, Lazzeri said adding Swiss Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) growth in India is outpacing global FDI, and we sought support for finalisation of the Bilateral Investment Protection Agreement, as per the Ministry. FM Sitharaman also met Jordan's Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Zeina Zeid Toukan, with discussions focusing on food security, fertilisers, trade and investment. The Finance Minister noted that India is Jordan's fourth-largest trading partner and highlighted the target of increasing bilateral trade to USD 5 billion by 2030. While, H.E. Ms. Zeina Zeid Toukan said that India is a critical market for Jordan and that Jordan is keen to continue and strengthen cooperation in many sectors including fertilizers, energy, water and infrastructure projects, and looked forward to more investment opportunities in Jordan, the statement read. Separately, Sitharaman held a pull-aside meeting with Nepal Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle, where discussions focused on Nepal's reconstruction and recovery priorities following the floods. The two sides discussed continued engagement to work out the specifics of possible Indian support and reviewed progress on projects discussed during their earlier meeting in New Delhi. The early operationalisation and utilisation of the UPI-NPI linkage was also discussed as an initiative beneficial to both countries, the Ministry said. (ANI)
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