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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline SEPTEMBER 11, 2026 | The Indian Eye 24

FM Sitharaman’s US Outreach Puts

Finance, Business and Diaspora at Centre

From G20 financial diplomacy to meetings with American business leaders and engagement

with the Indian community, Nirmala Sitharaman’s US visit underlines the expanding

economic and strategic ties between India and the United States

OUR BUREAU cial intelligence, financial services and
supply chains are increasingly inter-
CHICAGO / NEW YORK, NY
connected in New Delhi’s economic
nion Finance and Corpo- diplomacy.
rate Affairs Minister Nirmala At the Consulate General of In-
USitharaman’s engagements dia, she addressed members of the
in the United States have brought Chicago-based Indian community, de-
together several strands of India’s scribed by the Ministry as a “vibrant
economic diplomacy — from global Indian diaspora community”.
financial governance and cooperation The engagement was significant
against illicit finance to investment, not merely as a community outreach
advanced technology, manufacturing exercise but because the Indian dias-
and diaspora outreach. pora has become an important link
On the sidelines of the G20 Fi- between the two economies. Indi-
nance Ministers and Central Bank an-origin professionals, entrepreneurs,
Governors (FMCBG) Meeting in investors and business leaders have
Asheville, Sitharaman held a brief established a substantial presence
meeting with Financial Action across sectors of the American econ-
Task Force (FATF) President Giles Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman with Marsh Re Strategy Head and Corporate omy, creating networks that connect
Thompson. The Ministry of Finance capital, technology, skills and markets
described it as a “brush-by meeting” Development Devanshu Dhyani, in New York on Thursday. (@FinMinIndia X/ANI Photo) between the two countries.
but did not provide details of the is- Sitharaman’s nine-day visit to
sues discussed. the company’s engagement with India. mension of the US-India economic Canada and the United States, which
The interaction with the FATF At a meeting with ADM Exec- relationship was highlighted during began on August 25 and concluded on
chief assumes significance given the utive Vice President and Chief Fi- Sitharaman’s meeting with Shield AI September 2, thus comes at a moment
organisation’s role in setting global nancial Officer Monish Patolawala, Co-founder and President Brandon when India-US economic ties are ac-
standards to combat money laun- Sitharaman discussed the company’s Tseng. quiring greater strategic importance.
dering, terrorist financing and other long-standing presence in India and This marks a significant evolution The challenge for New Delhi is to
threats to the international financial opportunities to expand cooperation in the economic relationship between convert the breadth of these discus-
system. For India, engagement with in agriculture, food processing, nutri- the two countries. While trade and in- sions into concrete investment, tech-
the FATF is also part of a broader ef- tion and sustainable supply chains. vestment remain central, technology, nology partnerships, manufacturing ca-
fort to strengthen financial transpar- The Finance Minister highlighted defence manufacturing and strategic pacity and stronger supply-chain links.
ency, address illicit flows and ensure opportunities to strengthen linkages supply chains are increasingly becom- The opportunities are consider-
that its financial system remains close- with Indian farmers and expand re- ing part of the bilateral economic con- able. With bilateral trade expanding
ly aligned with international standards. generative and sustainable agriculture versation. and American companies looking at
Sitharaman’s participation in the while making greater use of India’s India’s growing importance as a India as both a market and a potential
G20 meeting placed these concerns capabilities in food processing, inno- commercial destination was also at production and technology base, eco-
within a much wider discussion on the vation and emerging technologies. the centre of Sitharaman’s meeting nomic diplomacy is increasingly be-
global economy. The G20 remains an An important part of the discus- with Hyatt President and CEO Mark coming an essential component of the
important forum for India to press sion was India’s ambition to become a S. Hoplamazian. wider India-US strategic partnership.
for greater coordination on financial global hub for some of ADM’s oper- She highlighted India’s improving Sitharaman’s meetings in Ashe-
stability, development financing and ations, including exports, technology connectivity and infrastructure and ville and Chicago suggest that India’s
reforms to international economic in- and treasury functions. The Ministry pointed to the emergence of Tier-II economic engagement with the Unit-
stitutions at a time when global trade pointed to GIFT International Fi- and Tier-III cities as new centres of ed States is being pursued on several
and investment flows are facing con- nancial Services Centre as a potential economic activity and travel. The Fi- fronts simultaneously — in global fi-
siderable uncertainty. platform for international financial nance Minister also drew attention nancial institutions, corporate board-
Her Asheville engagements also and treasury operations. to opportunities in spiritual, cultural, rooms and the Indian-American com-
included meetings with senior interna- That pitch reflects a broader ef- wellness, medical, nature and experi- munity.
tional officials and American business fort by New Delhi to position India ential tourism. The message is clear: India wants
leaders. She held a brief interaction not simply as a large consumer market Taken together, these meetings to be seen not simply as a destination
with UK Chancellor of the Exchequer but as a location from which multina- show the breadth of the economic for American business, but as a part-
John Healey, while an earlier meeting tional companies can manage regional agenda India is pursuing in the Unit- ner in shaping the next phase of global
with 3M Chairman and Chief Execu- and global operations. ed States. Agriculture, manufacturing, finance, technology, manufacturing
tive Officer William Brown focused on The technology and defence di- hospitality, defence technology, artifi- and trade.

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