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FM Sitharaman arrives for G20 meetings

Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman arrived in South Carolina and was received by India's Ambassador to the US, Vinay Mohan Kwatra. She is slated to participate in G20 and associated meetings in Asheville over the next two days.

Sharing the details in a post on X of her arrival, the Ministry of Finance said, "Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs @nsitharaman is welcomed upon arrival at the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport by India's Ambassador to the USA Shri @AmbVMKwatra, in South Carolina, today. The Union Finance Minister is scheduled to participate in the G20 and associated meetings in Asheville, North Carolina, over the next two days." https://x.com/FinMinIndia/status/2094142277144936943?s=20

Addresses Indian Diaspora in Chicago

Earlier, Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman addressed the Chicago-based Indian diaspora at the Consulate General of India's office. Addressing the Indian diaspora in Chicago, the Finance Minister addressed concerns regarding government borrowing and debt levels while outlining the nation's economic targets.

She stated that the central government has adhered to its fiscal consolidation roadmap and successfully achieved its fiscal deficit targets set for the 2025-26 period. "We have given ourselves a fiscal discipline path on the fiscal deficit as well. We have fulfilled the trajectory. The last mile that had to be reached by 2025-26, we have reached," Sitharaman said.

"The trust that the world has of the fiscal prudence of Prime Minister Modi- he was so when he was Chief Minister of Gujarat, he is so now, even when he is the Prime Minister of the country, the fiscal prudence shall not be compromised. As a result, credit ratings are improving," she added.

Addressing foreign trade strategy, Sitharaman explained that India continues to advance bilateral trade and investment treaties directly with partners such as the European Union, Australia, the UAE, and EFTA nations due to the slow pace of multilateral trade frameworks.

Meetings with US Business Leaders

The engagement formed part of the Finance Minister's ongoing bilateral outreach in the city, where she also held a series of high-level meetings with prominent American business leaders across the agriculture, defence technology, and hospitality sectors.

Earlier in her meeting with ADM Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Monish Patolawala, discussions focused on the company's long-standing footprint in India and avenues to deepen collaboration across agriculture, food processing, nutrition, and sustainable supply chains.

During a separate bilateral interaction with Shield AI Co-founder and President Brandon Tseng, deliberations centred on AI-enabled autonomy, unmanned systems, and next-generation defence solutions.

The Finance Minister also held talks with Hyatt President and Chief Executive Officer Mark S. Hoplamazian to review the group's ongoing expansion across the country's hospitality landscape.

The Finance Minister is set to participate in the G20 finance track meetings in Asheville, North Carolina, following bilateral economic dialogues held in Canada. (ANI)