FM Sitharaman, IMF chief Georgieva discuss global outlook, India’s growth trajectory
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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has met International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and discussed the global economic outlook and India’s evolving growth trajectory.
Sitharaman met Georgieva on the sidelines of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) Meeting in Asheville on Tuesday.
The Finance Ministry said the discussions covered India’s economic performance, structural changes underway in the country and the need for macroeconomic assessments and growth projections to adequately capture these developments.
"The discussion also covered the structural shifts underway in India and the importance of appropriately reflecting these developments in macroeconomic assessments and growth projections,” the Finance Ministry said in a statement.
The IMF Managing Director appreciated India’s strong economic performance and track record, noting the strength built by the Indian economy, according to the Finance Ministry.
“Excellent exchange of views with India’s Finance Minister @nsitharaman - reflecting on India’s stellar growth performance, the global outlook, and our shared resolve to work ever-more-closely together,” Georgieva said in a post on X.
Sitharaman highlighted India’s strong macroeconomic fundamentals and stressed the importance of robust, evidence-based surveillance frameworks that adequately reflect structural shifts in Emerging Markets and Developing Economies (EMDEs).
Focus on institutional capacity and policymaking
The two leaders also discussed the IMF’s capacity development initiatives, including support for strengthening institutional capacity, macroeconomic policymaking and statistical systems in EMDEs.
The Finance Ministry said both leaders emphasised the importance of continued India-IMF engagement to strengthen analytical capabilities, support sound macroeconomic policies and contribute to global economic resilience.
The meeting comes as India continues to remain among the fastest-growing major economies, with policymakers highlighting the country’s economic resilience amid an uncertain global environment.
‘Great sign for the year ahead’
Separately, Sitharaman on Tuesday described India’s 7.8% economic growth in the first quarter of FY27 as a “great sign for the year ahead”, saying the country’s economy continues to stand out globally despite a challenging external environment.
“Q1 of FY 2026–27 has come out, and we’ve clocked an impressive 7.8% growth. India’s economy continues to stand out on the global stage,” Sitharaman said in a social media post.
She said the strong start to the financial year reflected the “hard work of every Indian” and the vision and leadership aimed at taking the country towards Viksit Bharat by 2047.