Sitharaman to Attend India-UK Economic Dialogue in London

New Delhi, Apr 7 (PTI) Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will embark on a weeklong official visit to the United Kingdom and Austria on Monday to participate in the India-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue, besides investor roundtable.

During her visit, Sitharaman will participate in 13th Ministerial round of India-UK Economic & Financial Dialogue, besides bilateral meetings, engagement with think tanks, investors, business leaders in both the United Kingdom and Austria.

"Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman will embark on an official visit to the United Kingdom and Austria from 8th to 13th April 2025, today," a finance ministry statement said.

The 13th round of the India-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue (13th EFD) is scheduled to be held in London, United Kingdom, on April 9, 2025.

The 13th EFD dialogue will be co-chaired by the Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs and the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer.

The 13th EFD is a significant bilateral platform between the two countries that offers opportunities for candid engagement at the minister-level, officer-level, working groups and between the respective regulatory bodies in various aspects of financial collaboration, including investment matters, financial services, financial regulations, UPI interlinkages, taxation matters, and illicit financial flows.

The key priorities of the 13th EFD dialogue for Indian side include cooperation in IFSC GIFT City, investment, insurance and pension sectors, FinTech and Digital economy, and mobilising affordable and sustainable climate finance.

On the sidelines of India-UK 13th EFD, Sitharaman will engage in bilateral meetings with key dignitaries, participate in investor roundtables and other meetings with heads of key financial institutions and companies.

During the United Kingdom leg of the official visit, the Union Finance Minister will deliver the keynote address at the India-UK Investor Roundtable in presence of Chief Executive Officers of international organisations, including key management personnel from across the UK financial ecosystem covering pension funds, insurance companies, banks, and financial services institutions among others.

During the Austrian leg of the official visit, the Union Finance Minister will hold bilateral meetings with senior Austrian government leaders, including with Finance Minister Markus Marterbauer, and Federal Chancellor Christian Stocker.

Sitharaman and Austrian Minister for Economy, Energy and Tourism Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer will co-chair a session with key Austrian CEOs to apprise them of existing and upcoming opportunities in India for deeper investment collaboration between the two countries.