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Sitharaman Urges AIIB to Expand Financing to AI, MSMEs, and Skilling
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Moneycontrol•29-09-2026, 22:42
Sitharaman Urges AIIB to Expand Financing to AI, MSMEs, and Skilling
- •Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman called on the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to broaden its financing beyond physical infrastructure to include artificial intelligence (AI), micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and skilling.
- •The suggestion was made during a meeting with AIIB President Zou Jiayi on the sidelines of the bank's 2026 Annual Meeting in Doha, Qatar.
- •Sitharaman emphasized that MSMEs are the "backbone of India's economy" and highlighted the importance of supporting AI adoption and manpower training for these businesses.
- •India supports AIIB's 2027 budget plans and its focus on scaling up operations, with the bank having approved over $79 billion for more than 400 projects across 43 economies.
- •Sitharaman reiterated that AIIB's regional centrality should remain a defining characteristic, as India is the second-largest shareholder in the Beijing-headquartered bank.
Key Questions Answered
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman called on the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank to expand its financing beyond physical infrastructure into newer areas such as artificial intelligence, micro, small and medium enterprises, and skilling.
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank held its 2026 Annual Meeting on September 29, 2026, in Doha, Qatar, where Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met with AIIB President Zou Jiayi.
India is the second-largest shareholder in the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank after China. As of its 2026 Annual Meeting, the bank had approved more than $79 billion for over 400 projects across 43 economies.
