FM Sitharaman joins UK Business Secretary at Lord Mayor’s investment roundtable

London, Apr 9 (PTI) The Lord Mayor of London, Alastair King, hosted a high-level UK-India Investment Roundtable with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds at the Mansion House here on Wednesday morning.

The roundtable came hours before the 13th Ministerial India-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue (EFD), bringing together pension funds, asset managers, and leading financial institutions to deepen bilateral collaboration and unlock new trade and investment opportunities.

According to an official statement from the City of London Corporation, the roundtable explored strengthening green investments to support the UK’s Net Zero ambitions, collaborating further in fintech and advancing public-private partnerships to secure more large-scale bilateral projects and long-term investment.

“India and the UK share a strong and evolving economic partnership, with significant potential for deeper collaboration — particularly in UPI and digitalisation and the mobilisation of capital for large-scale infrastructure development,” said Sitharaman following her meeting with financial services chiefs.

“As discussions progress under the Economic and Financial Dialogue, and in the context of the ongoing Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) and Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations, there is clear and mutual intent to further strengthen our bilateral relationship,” she said.

UK’s Reynolds noted that their discussions explored further strengthening the strong economic bonds between the two nations.

“Both the UK and India are committed to delivering economic growth and giving businesses the confidence and stability they need to expand. That is why we are continuing to negotiate towards an ambitious trade deal that unlocks opportunities both at home and abroad for British businesses and supports our plan for change,” he said.

The City of London said its role as a global financial hub complements India’s ambition to attract long-term institutional investment into its high-growth sectors including technology and life sciences.

The roundtable follows the Lord Mayor’s recent visit to India where he spoke with financial services leaders in Mumbai to explore investment prospects, tackle existing trade barriers, and highlight areas for deeper UK-India alignment.

“There is a strong, shared commitment to deepen our economic partnership and drive greater prosperity, particularly in key areas such as green finance, infrastructure investment, and fintech,” said the Lord Mayor.

“Global trade is entering a new era. As we look ahead to the UK-India Economic and Financial Dialogue and continue Free Trade Agreement negotiations, our focus remains on sustaining momentum and delivering tangible outcomes in the months to come,” he said.

The City of London Corporation is the governing body of London's financial district known as the Square Mile, dedicated to supporting and nurturing the UK capital’s growth and interests. PTI AK PY PY

Source: PTI