New Delhi: The Finance Minister of India, Nirmala Sitharaman, is set to embark on a five-day official visit to Uzbekistan, commencing on Tuesday. Accompanying her will be a delegation of officials from the Ministry of Finance.
During her visit, Sitharaman is scheduled to attend the Ninth Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), which is set to take place in Samarkand from Wednesday to Thursday. Additionally, she will participate in several other significant bilateral meetings with her counterparts from Uzbekistan, Qatar, China, and the President of the AIIB.
In attendance at the AIIB Annual Meeting will be the Union Finance Minister, who will represent India as the Governor of the bank. As the second-largest shareholder of the bank, India plays a pivotal role in the multilateral discussions, which cover a wide range of critical global issues pertinent to the development agenda.
The Annual Meeting of the AIIB is expected to see the participation of delegations from around 80 countries, along with other international organizations. As a multilateral development bank, the AIIB is dedicated to the development of sustainable infrastructure in Asia and to promoting investments in infrastructure and other productive sectors, with the aim of fostering sustainable economic development, wealth creation, and enhancing infrastructure connectivity.
As part of her official visit, Sitharaman is anticipated to meet with Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the President of Uzbekistan.
Furthermore, during her visit, the Union Finance Minister will be involved in the signing of a Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) between India and Uzbekistan. This treaty, to be signed by the Union Finance Minister and the Minister for Investment, Industry, and Trade of Uzbekistan, aims to promote more extensive economic cooperation between the two countries for their mutual benefit over the long term.
The Union Finance Minister will also engage in discussions at the India-Uzbekistan Business Forum, which is jointly organized and represented by industry leaders from both nations.
Additionally, Sitharaman will visit the Samarkand State University and the Lal Bahadur Shastri Monument in Tashkent. The visit will also include interactions with the Indian diaspora, which includes prominent figures from various sectors.
