Sitharaman urges resilience, cooperation, and active global role for India
New Delhi
At the Kautilya Economic Conclave 2025 in New Delhi, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman emphasized India’s role as a stabilizing force in an increasingly unpredictable global economy. In her opening address, she noted that the current global landscape is not facing a temporary disruption but undergoing a deep structural transformation, with trade, finance, and alliances shifting due to geopolitical changes.
She observed that uncertainty has become the global norm, with established power structures giving way to multi-polarity, and Asian nations offering alternative development models. Sitharaman questioned how the new global equilibrium will form and who will shape it.
Despite these challenges, she highlighted India’s resilience, pointing to strong domestic fundamentals like fiscal discipline, strategic reforms, and controlled inflation. She cautioned, however, against complacency.
The minister acknowledged the difficult trade-offs developing nations face: energy security vs. energy transition, growth vs. sustainability, innovation vs. employment, and the high cost of borrowing vs. investment needs. These, she said, are being intensified by geopolitical tensions, technological changes, and economic fragmentation.
She urged a new vision for global cooperation—one that ensures fair trade, inclusive finance, sustainable energy, and development-aligned climate action. India, she said, must continue to adapt, lead, and shape outcomes, not just absorb external shocks.
Concluding, Sitharaman stressed the need for active participation by developing nations in shaping the global order, calling the current moment an inflection point where dialogue, openness, and shared vision are essential for building a better future.