Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman held a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) 2026 Annual Meeting in Doha. Discussions covered investment, trade, infrastructure, economic cooperation and digital payments.
Sitharaman met Saudi Arabia’s Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan to discuss strengthening bilateral investment relations.
She welcomed the successful conclusion of negotiations on the India-Saudi Arabia Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT). The agreement is expected to provide a more predictable investment framework and support investor confidence.
Al-Jadaan expressed interest in attracting investments from India.
During her meeting with Switzerland’s AIIB Governor and Ambassador Pietro Lazzeri, Sitharaman highlighted the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) as a platform for international investors seeking opportunities in India’s infrastructure sector.
Lazzeri noted opportunities for Swiss investment and portfolio diversification in India. He also sought support for finalising the Bilateral Investment Protection Agreement.
Sitharaman also met Jordan’s Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Zeina Zeid Toukan.
Their discussions covered food security, fertilisers, trade and investment. Sitharaman noted that India is Jordan’s fourth-largest trading partner and highlighted the target of increasing bilateral trade to USD 5 billion by 2030.
Jordan expressed interest in expanding cooperation with India in areas including fertilisers, energy, water and infrastructure.
Sitharaman held a separate meeting with Nepal Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle, focusing on Nepal’s reconstruction and recovery priorities following floods.
The two sides discussed continued engagement on possible Indian support and reviewed progress on projects discussed during their earlier meeting in New Delhi.
They also discussed the early operationalisation and utilisation of the UPI-NPI linkage, aimed at improving digital payment connectivity between India and Nepal.
The meetings covered several areas of India’s international economic engagement, including investment treaties, infrastructure financing, trade, energy, food security, reconstruction and digital payments.
The discussions also provided opportunities to strengthen economic cooperation with four countries across the Gulf, Europe, West Asia and South Asia.
