Amid rising global uncertainties and trade tensions, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman acknowledged the risks facing financial markets worldwide, including India, during her address at BSE’s 150th anniversary event. However, she emphasized India’s solid macroeconomic foundation and institutional strength as key factors driving investor confidence.
“The world is navigating a phase of trade recalibration. Tariff wars and protectionist trends are impacting global supply chains and investment flows,” FM Nirmala Sitharaman said. Yet, she asserted that India offers a unique blend of growth potential, policy stability, and governance.
She noted that in this VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous) world, India’s fundamentals have remained strong. Driven by reforms such as T+1 settlement, direct market access, and mutual fund penetration, India’s capital market infrastructure is now among the most robust globally.
The Finance Minister further emphasized the government’s commitment to inclusivity, highlighting initiatives like Aadhaar-linked KYC, retail access to government securities, and the promotion of social stock exchanges. She also laid out a vision for India’s markets to be deep, digitally secure, globally integrated, and sustainable.
Addressing stakeholders, she urged stock exchanges to innovate with purpose, corporates to maintain governance, regulators to remain agile, and investors to practice informed and patient wealth creation.
“India is not just a story of numbers, but of trust and transformation. Our capital markets must reflect this ethos as we stride towards becoming a ‘Viksit Bharat’,” she concluded.
Reference: Ministry of Finance speech at BSE 150th Anniversary, April 17, 2025.
