Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has reached Tashkent, Uzbekistan, to attend the 9th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). She will attend the meeting tomorrow.

India is the second-largest shareholder of the bank. The multilateral discussions will be centred around a broad spectrum of important global issues relevant to the development agenda.

Ms. Sitharaman will also sign the Bilateral Investment Treaty between India and Uzbekistan. The treaty aims to promote more extensive economic cooperation for the mutual benefit of both countries on a long-term basis. As part of her five-day visit, Ms. Sitharaman is expected to call on President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

The Finance Minister will also hold important bilateral meetings with her counterparts from Uzbekistan, Qatar, China, and the AIIB President. She will also interact with the Indian diaspora, representing leading voices from multiple sectors.