Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman skips World Bank and IMF meetings

Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has decided to skip this year’s Annual Meeting of the World Bank and IMF, which is taking place in Washington. Her absence is attributed to unresolved differences over trade and India"s purchases of Russian oil.

The Indian delegation at the meeting will be led by Anuradha Thakur, the Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs. The delegation is expected to include Reserve Bank of India Governor Sanjay Malhotra and Chief Economic Adviser V Anantha Nageswaran.

Sitharaman"s decision comes amid ongoing trade tensions, particularly following the Trump administration"s imposition of a 50% tariff on Indian goods, which includes a 25% penalty related to India"s purchases of Russian oil.

The Annual Meeting gathers finance ministers, central bankers, and senior officials from over 100 countries to discuss issues such as global financial stability, poverty eradication, and climate change.

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