Finance Minister Sitharaman urges investors to “come and look” instead of relying on negative perceptions

New Delhi (India), April 11, 2023: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman spoke at the Peterson Institute for International Economics on Monday, addressing concerns about negative perceptions of India affecting investments.

Responding to a question by PIIE President Adam S. Posen, Sitharaman urged investors to “come and have a look” at what’s happening in India rather than relying on reports built by “people who have not even visited on the ground.”

Sitharaman also challenged reports in the Western press about the condition of minorities in India and questioned the credibility of allegations of Muslims being victimized in the country. She pointed out that India has the second-largest Muslim population in the world, which is only growing in numbers.

She also noted that the condition of minorities in Pakistan is worsening, while in India, every branch of the Muslim community is going about its business and their children are getting educated.

“WTO needs to be more progressive and fair”, says Sitharaman

Sitharaman also spoke about the need for the World Trade Organization (WTO) to be more progressive, listen to all countries, and be fairer.

She urged the WTO to give space to the voices of countries that have something different to say and to not just hear but also heed their opinions. Sitharaman emphasized the resilience of the Indian people in reviving the Indian economy post-pandemic, stating that emerging markets like India carry the burden of being emerging markets but should have the right to ask for help and speak about issues constructively.

Sitharaman’s speech aimed to dispel negative perceptions of India and encouraged investors to visit the country and see what’s happening on the ground. She also highlighted the need for the WTO to be more progressive and fair to all countries, including emerging markets like India.