"We want a poverty-free world on a liveable planet"

Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank, talks about the institution's new vision and mission, reforms, the debt crisis and India's G20 presidency

- Rahul Kanwal

One of the key thrusts of India's G20 presidency has been the urgent need to reform multilateral development banks (MDBs). And the World Bank features prominently in the New Delhi Declaration. US President Joe Biden is putting in a lot of effort to ensure that more funds are available with the World Bank and is looking at reforming the institution. The man entrusted with this job is Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank. In an interview with Rahul Kanwal, News Director of India Today and Aaj Tak, and Executive Director of Business Today, Banga-a former President and CEO of Mastercard-talks about how he plans to reform the World Bank, the debt crisis, and more. Edited excerpts:

Q: I want to start by asking about your mission to reform the World Bank. What have you set out as your mission objectives, given the World Bank's original priorities in terms of poverty alleviation to try and bring it into dealing with climate finance, food security and the issues that are very here and now?