The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has officially stated that issues related to Pakistan were not discussed during the recent bilateral meeting between ADB President Masato Kanda and Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. This clarification comes amid media reports suggesting that Pakistan-related matters were raised on the sidelines of the 58th ADB Annual Meeting held in Milan, Italy, from May 4 to 7, 2025.

During the meeting, Finance Minister Sitharaman focused on India's ongoing economic initiatives, emphasising the country's commitment to private sector-led growth and the creation of a supportive policy environment through bold reforms. The discussions highlighted India's efforts to foster economic development, with ADB President Kanda reaffirming the bank's support for India's developmental goals. There was no mention or confirmation of any dialogue regarding Pakistan, either with the ADB President or the Italian Finance Minister.

This clarification is significant in the context of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack, which resulted in the deaths of 26 people, mostly tourists. In response to the attack, India has undertaken several diplomatic measures, including calls to review and potentially halt multilateral funding to Pakistan. However, both the ADB and Indian Finance Ministry officials have explicitly denied that such matters were discussed during the Milan meetings.

The 58th ADB Annual Meeting in Milan brought together high-level officials from member countries, international organisations, and the private sector to discuss development priorities across the Asia-Pacific region. The Indian delegation, led by Sitharaman, participated in key sessions, focusing on innovative financing and economic resilience, but maintained that the agenda did not include Pakistan-related issues.

Despite ongoing diplomatic developments and India's broader efforts to address cross-border terrorism, the ADB has categorically stated that the bilateral meeting with Finance Minister Sitharaman did not address issues concerning Pakistan, reaffirming the focus on India's economic growth and development strategies.

ANI