Sitharaman Meets World Bank President Ajay Banga on Viksit Bharat Plan

Union Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman held a high-level meeting with World Bank President Ajay Banga in New Delhi today. The meeting focused on strengthening cooperation between India and the World Bank Group to support the country’s long-term development objectives.

During the discussion, the Finance Minister welcomed the launch of the new Country Partnership Framework (CPF), which is fully aligned with the Government of India’s Viksit Bharat vision. She highlighted that the CPF will serve as a key instrument to advance India’s economic and social development over the next five years.

The CPF aims to leverage public resources with private sector investment, generating employment opportunities across both rural and urban regions. It will also bring the World Bank’s global expertise and knowledge to India, ensuring development projects are informed by international best practices.

Smt. Sitharaman stressed that the partnership goes beyond traditional financing, emphasizing knowledge sharing, technical assistance, and the exchange of global best practices as critical components of sustainable development.

Both leaders explored avenues to deepen India–World Bank collaboration, focusing on maximizing the impact of development initiatives and ensuring alignment with the Government’s vision of Viksit Bharat. The Finance Minister expressed optimism about the CPF’s potential to create lasting economic and social benefits across India.