Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman held a series of bilateral discussions with key international counterparts on the sidelines of the Asian Infrastructure
Investment Bank (AIIB) 2026 Annual Meeting in Doha, with investment, trade, infrastructure and economic cooperation featuring prominently in the talks. Sitharaman met finance and government officials from Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Jordan and Nepal during the engagements. The discussions covered a range of issues, including the India-Saudi Arabia investment treaty, opportunities for Swiss investors in India, expanding India-Jordan trade and investment ties, and reconstruction assistance for Nepal following floods. The Ministry of Finance shared details of the meetings through a series of posts on its official X account. During her meeting with Saudi Arabia’s Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan, Sitharaman welcomed the completion of negotiations for the India-Saudi Arabia Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT). The agreement is expected to create a more predictable framework for investments between the two countries and provide greater clarity for investors. The Ministry said the development could help strengthen investor confidence and support deeper investment flows between India and Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia also indicated its interest in attracting Indian investments. “H.E. Mr. @MAAljadaan expressed keen interest in welcoming investments from India,” the statement read. Switzerland Sees Investment Opportunities In India Sitharaman also met Switzerland's AIIB Governor, Ambassador Pietro Lazzeri, where the conversation focused on investment opportunities and India's infrastructure sector. The Finance Minister stressed the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF), positioning it as a potential avenue for international investors looking to participate in India's infrastructure development. Switzerland also underlined its interest in expanding its investment footprint in India. “Switzerland sees significant opportunities in India for portfolio diversification and investment,” Lazzeri said, adding, “Swiss Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) growth in India is outpacing global FDI, and we sought support for finalisation of the Bilateral Investment Protection Agreement,” as per the Ministry. India-Jordan Trade Target Of $5 Billion By 2030 In another bilateral engagement, Sitharaman met Jordan's Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Zeina Zeid Toukan. Their discussions covered areas including food security, fertilisers, trade and investment. Sitharaman noted the importance of the existing economic relationship between the two countries, pointing out that India is Jordan's fourth-largest trading partner. She also highlighted the shared objective of taking bilateral trade to USD 5 billion by 2030. Jordan expressed interest in strengthening cooperation with India across several sectors. “H.E. Ms. Zeina Zeid Toukan said that India is a critical market for Jordan and that Jordan is keen to continue and strengthen cooperation in many sectors including fertilisers, energy, water and infrastructure projects, and looked forward to more investment opportunities in Jordan,” the statement read. Nepal Talks Focus On Flood Recovery And UPI Linkage Sitharaman separately held a pull-aside meeting with Nepal Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle, with the conversation turning towards Nepal's reconstruction and recovery requirements following the floods. The two sides discussed the possible contours of continued Indian assistance and reviewed the progress of projects that had been discussed during their previous meeting in New Delhi. The talks also included digital payments connectivity between the two neighbouring countries. “The early operationalisation and utilisation of the UPI-NPI linkage was also discussed as an initiative beneficial to both countries,” the Ministry said. Investment And Economic Cooperation In Focus Across the four meetings, India’s discussions centred on expanding economic engagement through investment frameworks, infrastructure financing, trade, sectoral cooperation and digital connectivity. The meetings with Saudi Arabia and Switzerland placed particular stress on investment protection and attracting capital into India, while discussions with Jordan focused on expanding bilateral trade and cooperation across strategic sectors. With Nepal, the focus included post-flood recovery and strengthening the use of digital payment infrastructure. (With Agency Inputs)
