Sitharaman to skip IMF meetings in Washington

India’s finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman will skip this week's annual World Bankand International Monetary Fund meetings in Washington, HT has learnt, as India and the US remain locked in negotiations over trade and New Delhi's continued purchases of Russian oil.

- Shashank Mattoo

Nirmala Sitharaman

The Indian delegation to the meeting will instead be led by department of economic affairs secretary Anuradha Thakur and is expected to include Reserve Bank of India governor Sanjay Malhotra and chief economic adviser V ‘Anantha Nageswaran.

Sitharaman’s absence comes against the backdrop of unresolved trade tensions, with Trump administration having imposed a 50% tariff on Indian goods, which includes a 25% penalty over India’s Russian oil purchases.

The annual gathering brings together finance ministers, central bankers and senior officials from over 100 countries to discuss global financial stability, poverty eradication and climate change, among other priorities.