NEW DELHI:
Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman
on Saturday said India is open to exploring additional avenues for strengthening collaboration with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), during a meeting with IMF’s First Deputy Managing Director
Gita Gopinath
.
During the meeting, Gopinath congratulated the finance minister for maintaining policy consistency in the
fiscal consolidation path
followed by the
Government of India
.
“FM Smt. @nsitharaman stated that India deeply values its relationship and continuous engagement with IMF; and looking ahead, the Government of India is open to exploring more ways to increase India’s collaboration with the IMF,” the finance ministry said in a post on X.
In addition to recognising the vibrancy of the Indian economy, Gopinath praised the strong relationship between India and the IMF, highlighting its importance not only for India and the IMF but also for the global community.
“Besides acknowledging the vibrancy of the Indian economy, Ms Gita Gopinath appreciated the strength of India’s relationship with IMF – valuable to both India, IMF, and to the world at large, ” the post read.
According to IANS, Gopinath had said that India’s growth exceeded expectations in the last fiscal year (FY24), driven by a recovery in private consumption across sectors, particularly in the rural economy.
From two-wheeler sales to fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs), overall consumption is on the rise. “Better monsoons lead to better harvests, boosting agricultural incomes,” she was quoted as saying in media reports.
(With input from agencies)
