Nirmala Sitharaman in the American city of Asheville at the meeting of G-20 finance ministers
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during a meeting with 3M Chairman and CEO William Brown on the sidelines of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) meeting in Asheville. | Photo Credit: X/@FinMinIndia via PTI
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has arrived in the American city of Asheville, North Carolina for the meeting of G-20 finance ministers, which will focus on global growth against the backdrop of conflicts in West Asia and Europe.
Ms. Sitharaman is currently on a six-day visit to the US from August 29 to September 2 as part of a wider nine-day tour that began in Canada.
She was received by India’s ambassador to the US, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, at the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport in South Carolina on Sunday (August 30, 2026).
The minister arrived in Asheville, about 760 km from Washington, from Chicago, where she attended a round table conference with major investors and spoke with leading CEOs, presidents and senior representatives of the private sector.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is hosting a meeting of G-20 finance ministers and central bank governors on Monday and Tuesday in Asheville, a city nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
“Just as President Donald Trump is revitalizing US economic growth and making it central to this administration’s agenda, we are taking the same approach and prioritizing growth as the host of this year’s G20 Finance Track,” Mr Bessent said.
Mr. Bessent, who arrived in Asheville with Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh, said in a social media post that the U.S. looked forward to convening policymakers and private sector leaders from around the world to emphasize that stronger growth is “not only possible, but necessary.”
On the sidelines of the G-20 meetings, Sitharaman on Sunday met William Brown, chairman and CEO of 3M, an American multinational conglomerate active in industrial, worker safety and consumer goods.
“The discussion focused on deepening 3M’s engagement with India as the country transitions from a large consumer market to an increasingly important platform for advanced manufacturing, technology and innovation,” the finance ministry said.
Ms. Sitharaman and Mr. Brown also discussed issues related to data security and optimal engagement of India’s talent pool in domestic businesses, he said.
With 3M’s capabilities, there is significant scope to deepen localization, R&D and technology development in India, particularly by leveraging Indian talent and manufacturing capabilities through regional innovation that serves both the domestic market and the wider global and Asia-Pacific supply chains, Ms. Sitharaman said.
Acknowledging 3M’s continued confidence in India, the finance minister suggested further investment in research and development, advanced manufacturing and local supply chain development.
Mr. Brown appreciated the availability of a large talent pool in India and noted that there are many opportunities to develop both technology and local markets.
He also acknowledged the Indian government’s support as part of deeper reforms.
Published – 31 Aug 2026 09:27 IST