Nirmala Sitharaman Engages in Key Bilateral Talks at AIIB Meeting in Qatar

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman participated in significant bilateral discussions with ministers from Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Jordan, and Nepal during the AIIB annual meeting in Doha. The meetings focused on enhancing investment opportunities, strategic partnerships, and cooperation in various sectors. Sitharaman emphasized India's commitment to fostering strong ties with these nations, aiming for increased trade and investment. Notably, discussions included the implementation of the India-Saudi Arabia Bilateral Investment Treaty and collaboration on infrastructure projects. This engagement highlights India's proactive approach in strengthening international relations and economic partnerships.

By Narendra Chaudhary Sep 29, 2026, 14:26 IST

Significant Meetings on the Sidelines of AIIB Annual Gathering

Doha: During the AIIB annual meeting, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman engaged in discussions with her counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Jordan, and Nepal.

On September 28, the first day of her visit to Qatar, Sitharaman met with Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan, who expressed eagerness for the swift implementation of their bilateral investment treaty.

The finance ministry reported that both ministers celebrated the successful conclusion of negotiations on the India-Saudi Arabia Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT), which aims to create a more robust and predictable environment for investments, thereby boosting investor confidence.

Sitharaman emphasized that Saudi Arabia is a valued strategic ally for India, highlighting the extensive partnership in areas such as defense, security, trade, investment, energy, technology, healthcare, education, culture, and people-to-people interactions.

The two ministers explored ways to further enhance their strategic partnership, with the Saudi minister showing a strong interest in attracting Indian investments.

Sitharaman also met with AIIB Governor from Switzerland, Ambassador Pietro Lazzeri, where she promoted the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) as a reliable partner for foreign investors looking to tap into opportunities in India. She encouraged Swiss investors to consider NIIF infrastructure funds for exposure to India's infrastructure sector.

Ambassador Lazzeri noted that Switzerland recognizes substantial investment opportunities in India for portfolio diversification.

He mentioned an upcoming state visit to India and the 2nd EFTA Prosperity Summit in New Delhi, highlighting that Swiss Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) growth in India is surpassing global trends and requested support for finalizing the Bilateral Investment Protection Agreement.

Lazzeri also expressed interest in collaboration within the financial sector and sustainable finance.

Sitharaman met with Nepal's Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle to discuss Nepal's recovery priorities following recent floods, emphasizing the need for ongoing collaboration to determine the specifics of India's support during this critical period.

They also discussed the early operationalization of the UPI-NPI linkage, which is expected to benefit both nations.

Additionally, Sitharaman met with Jordan's Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Zeina Zeid Toukan, to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral ties.

She pointed out that India ranks as Jordan's fourth-largest trading partner and set a goal to boost bilateral trade to USD 5 billion by 2030.