FM Sitharaman meets AIIB President, pushes expansion into AI and MSME financing

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met with Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) President Zou Jiayi to discuss the multilateral lender's future direction. Sitharaman proposed that AIIB expand its financing mandate beyond traditional physical infrastructure to include emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, micro and small enterprises, and skill development.

Sitharaman underscored the importance of maintaining AIIB's regional centrality as a core institutional feature. Both leaders reviewed the bank's growing project pipeline in India and its increasing global footprint, affirming the strategic partnership between the institution and the country.