Nirmala Sitharaman to Visit UK and Austria to Strengthen India’s Global Economic Ties
New Delhi | Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will visit the United Kingdom and Austria from April 8 to 13 to enhance economic diplomacy, investment cooperation, and strategic financial partnerships across Europe, the Ministry of Finance confirmed on Monday.
The Nirmala Sitharaman UK Austria visit will kick off in London on April 9 with the 13th India-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue (EFD), where she will co-chair discussions with the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer. The EFD is a premier platform for bilateral talks on fintech, sustainable finance, taxation, financial regulation, and the integration of India’s UPI with the UK’s digital payment ecosystem.
Key areas of focus during the dialogue include:
- Financial cooperation within GIFT City International Financial Services Centre (IFSC)
- Fintech innovation and digital economy collaboration
- Enhancing climate finance and ESG investments
- Streamlining taxation systems and tackling illicit financial flows
Investor Outreach & Roundtables
Sitharaman will engage in exclusive investor roundtables with major UK-based institutions including pension funds, insurance companies, asset managers, and fintech leaders. She will also deliver a keynote speech at the India-UK Investor Roundtable, jointly hosted with UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds.
These interactions aim to:
- Showcase India’s reform-oriented investment landscape
- Promote the Indian financial sector’s digital transformation
- Attract strategic long-term capital inflows into infrastructure and green economy sectors
Austria Leg: Economic Diplomacy Continues
From London, the Finance Minister will travel to Austria, where she will meet top Austrian officials including Finance Minister Markus Marterbauer and Chancellor Christian Stocker. A key session co-chaired with Minister for Economy, Energy and Tourism Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer will feature leading Austrian CEOs to explore collaboration in:
- Clean energy
- Tourism
- Green mobility
- Advanced manufacturing
The visit marks a significant step in strengthening India’s ties with Europe’s key economic players, with an emphasis on mutual growth, tech-driven cooperation, and sustainability.
