New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on May 12 met International Monetary Fund (IMF) managing director Kristalina Georgieva on the sidelines of G7 finance ministers and central bank governors (FMCBG) meeting.

She was on a two-day visit to Japan where the G7 meeting took place in Niigata. She also met Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong during the sidelines of the meeting.

Both the ministers exchanged their views on strengthening India-Singapore cooperation on issues like digital payment gateway, food security, green transition, crypto assets and Pandemic preparedness among other issues.

Sitharaman highlighted the emerging role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and skilling programmes in the context of setting up of new AI centres. Both the ministers discussed ways for collaboration between India-Singapore in AI research and Quantum Computing.

Earlier, on May 11, Sitharaman sought greater investment from Japan in India. She exhorted Japanese investors to invest in India, while highlighting the country’s digital public infrastructure revolution and its impact in the areas of health, education, financial inclusion and agriculture.

She said that enhancement in India’s digital infrastructure has helped in reducing pilferage significantly and inducing transparency and accountability. Sitharaman further apprised investors and business leaders of India’s specific focus on Artificial Intelligence with proposed Centres of Excellence which will benefit not just the present but the future generations as well.

She said this during an interaction with investors and business leaders during an event on “Rising Investment Opportunities: Destination India”, organised in collaboration with the Japan Chamber of Commerce & Industry (JCCI) and the Indian embassy in Tokyo.