FM’s US-Peru visit aims to strengthen India’s global economic role

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has commenced a high-level 11-day visit to the United States and Peru, beginning April 20, to Boost India’s Global Economic Influence. Sitharaman’s visit comes at a time when shifting trade dynamics and geopolitical tensions are prompting countries to reassess economic alignments, and India is actively seeking to expand its influence through strategic bilateral and multilateral engagement.
In her address to the Indian community in San Francisco on Saturday, Sitharaman lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership for driving transformation across key sectors. “The visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the continuing government, which gives a sense of support and stability, are making a difference for India,” she said. “The Prime Minister has been relentlessly pursuing good governance, new technologies, skilling, entrepreneurship, and commitments to renewable energy—delivering results within time.”She also highlighted how India’s growth trajectory is underpinned by a stable government and a policy environment that is focused on sustainable and inclusive growth.

When we say that India is the fastest-growing economy and when @IMFNews or @WorldBank recognise that India can be the engine driving global trade, what they are recognising is the immense potential that exists in India.

- Smt. @nsitharaman in San Francisco, USA. @CGISFO… pic.twitter.com/poBqpn3TtC

— Nirmala Sitharaman Office (@nsitharamanoffc) April 21, 2025

Sitharaman was received in San Francisco by India’s Ambassador to the U.S., Vinay Mohan Kwatra, Consul General Srikar Reddy Koppula, and Finance Secretary Ajay Seth.  In San Francisco, the Minister is scheduled to deliver a keynote address at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University on “Laying the Foundations of Viksit Bharat 2047,” followed by a fireside chat. She will also engage with fund management firms and senior executives of top IT firms based in the Bay Area—home to some of the world’s leading technology innovators.
During her first leg in the United States, from April 22 to 25, Sitharaman will attend the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank in Washington, DC. She will participate in key events including the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors’ Meeting, the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) Plenary, the Development Committee Plenary, and the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable. A central theme will be India’s ongoing efforts to negotiate a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) with the United States—aimed at reducing trade barriers, boosting technology transfer, and accelerating investment.The visit includes bilateral discussions with finance ministers and central bank chiefs from countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Saudi Arabia, along with heads of multilateral financial institutions.
Following her U.S. engagements, Sitharaman will head to Peru for her first official visit to the Latin American country from April 26 to 30, according to offical release.The focus will be on exploring partnerships around critical minerals such as lithium and copper—resources crucial for India’s clean energy transition and the development of electric mobility infrastructure. India sees Peru as a strategic partner in securing these essential inputs, particularly as global competition intensifies over access to rare and critical minerals.

(Business Correspondent)