FM Nirmala Sitharaman discusses issues of bilateral cooperation with Russian, Chinese counterparts

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman held key meetings with leaders from Russia, China, Indonesia, and Brazil during BRICS in Rio. Discussions focused on global cooperation, financial reforms, digital payments, climate finance, and boosting voices of developing nations

New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman held a series of bilateral meetings, including with Russian and Chinese counterparts, and discussed issues of bilateral cooperation and interests.

These meetings were held on the sidelines of the BRICS Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting in Rio de Janeiro. During a meeting with Anton Siluanov, Finance Minister of Russia, Sitharaman expressed gratitude for the support extended by President Vladimir Putin after the Pahalgam terror attack, the finance ministry said in a post on X.

---

The two leaders discussed India-Russia long-standing partnership. The Finance Minister observed that India and Russia enjoy exemplary levels of mutual trust and understanding and our Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership remains resilient and steadfast, it said.

The two sides also discussed issues of bilateral cooperation, including cooperation in the financial sector, along with matters related to NDB. In another bilateral meeting with her Chinese counterpart Lan Fo’an, both leaders discussed strengthening collaboration across a wide range of areas due to the common rich human capital, deep civilisational ties, and expanding economic influence.

The two leaders recalled their last meeting in Samarkand in September 2024 on the sidelines of the AIIB Annual Meetings, another post by the finance ministry said. Sitharaman underlined that India and China are uniquely positioned to drive inclusive global growth and innovation as the two nations are the largest and fastest-growing economies in the world.

The Finance Minister suggested that deeper engagement between the two countries can help amplify the voice of developing economies, and shape global narratives that reflect the priorities and aspirations of the global South, it said.

During bilateral meeting with Thomas Djiwandono, Vice Finance Minister of Indonesia, Sitharaman said India looks forward to hosting the Indonesia Economic and Financial Dialogue soon.

She also thanked Indonesia for their support in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, a separate post on X by the finance ministry said. The two leaders also discussed BRICS, UPI, and RuPay, G20, MDB Reforms, bilateral trade, tourism, FinTech and financial markets, it said.

In the bilateral meeting with Finance Minister of Brazil Fernando Haddad, she discussed issues of bilateral interests. The two leaders discussed issues of mutual interest, including South-South cooperation, amplifying the voice of the Global South, COP30, and climate finance issues, and engagement in regional and global forums such as the United Nations, G20, BRICS, WTO and IBSA, the finance ministry said in another social media post.

Appreciating the deep work by Brazil during its BRICS Chairship, including commitment to a multipolar world order, and expansion of BRICS, Sitharaman said India supports the agenda and priorities set by Brazil, and hopes to carry forward the outcome-oriented cooperation when India takes over the Chairship in January 2026.

She said India and Brazil, as strategic partners, share warm and cordial ties spanning across multiple sectors, and are cooperating closely in multiple sectors to further strengthen strategic partnership.