Sitharaman Pushes for Accelerated Growth at GIFT City

Gandhinagar, Gujarat – Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman today conducted a high-stakes review of the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) at GIFT City, Gandhinagar, unequivocally pushing for a dramatic acceleration of reforms. Her directive signals a clear intent to cement GIFT IFSC’s position as a premier global financial gateway, pivotal to realizing India’s ambitious ‘Viksit Bharat @2047’ vision. The visit underscored the government’s unwavering commitment to transforming this burgeoning hub into a magnet for international capital and talent.

The comprehensive review meeting saw the presence of a formidable lineup of officials, including Gujarat Finance Minister Kanubhai Desai, the Finance Secretary, and secretaries from various departments of the Union Finance Ministry and Ministry of Corporate Affairs, alongside key representatives from the RBI, IFSCA, GIFT City Co. Ltd, SEBI, and IRDAI. This collective presence underscored the multi-faceted approach required to propel GIFT IFSC to its envisioned stature.

During presentations by GIFT City Co. Ltd and IFSCA on policy, regulatory, and tax reforms, Sitharaman lauded GIFT IFSC’s nascent role in bolstering India’s global financial standing. However, her core message was a resolute call to action: “We must fast-track the reforms in the next few years itself to enable growth to align with the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat @2047’.” This statement reflects a strategic imperative to compress timelines and achieve exponential progress.

The Finance Minister reiterated GIFT IFSC’s crucial mandate to attract foreign capital into India through robust, regulated channels. She specifically urged Indian financial sector regulators to proactively identify and address the aspirational needs of GIFT IFSC, emphasizing that India’s twin advantages – technological prowess and a vast domestic market with substantial financing requirements – must be leveraged for competitive edge.

In a powerful exhortation to officials, Sitharaman stressed the need to make GIFT IFSC even more competitive and cost-effective to draw High Net Worth Individual (HNI) investments. She also highlighted IFSCA’s significant potential in mobilizing Sovereign and Pension Funds at the IFSC to meet India’s vast financial needs. Critically, she underlined the importance of aligning talent development with GIFT IFSC’s expanding mandate, ensuring a deep and future-ready workforce to support its ambitious growth trajectory.

Given India’s status as a major gold importer, the Union Finance Minister turned her attention to the India International Bullion Exchange (IIBX), advocating for a substantial scaling up of its operations. This would involve expanding stakeholder participation and strengthening price discovery mechanisms, ultimately positioning GIFT IFSC as a global bullion hub.

The day culminated in a roundtable interaction with 21 senior representatives from various financial sectors, including banking, insurance, capital markets, and tech firms. Participants shared their experiences, commending IFSCA’s facilitation in business setup, and offered constructive suggestions for further growth. Sitharaman acknowledged their valuable input, noting that such regular interactions, nurtured by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior government officials, have been instrumental in resolving concerns and fostering business growth.

The Union Finance Minister painted a vivid picture of GIFT IFSC as “a prominent gateway for global capital flows into India to feed the needs of high growth sectors for India’s growth trajectory over the next two decades.” She further stressed the parallel development of GIFT City into a “dynamic smart city,” complete with integrated, modern, and sustainable living infrastructure, deeming it “essential to attracting top-tier talent from both domestic and international markets.