The Union Finance Minister Shri P. Chidambaram will be leaving tomorrow for a five day visit to Australia. The Finance Minister Shri Chidambaram will be leading a high level Indian delegation to attend the two day G-20 Finance Ministers’ and Central Bank Governors’ Meeting scheduled to be held in Sydney, Australia on 22nd and 23rd February, 2014. Beside the Finance Minister, the Indian delegation includes Dr. Raghuram G. Rajan, Governor of Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Dr. Arvind Mayaram, Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs and other senior officials of Ministry of Finance among others.

During the G-20 Meet, the Finance Minister Shri Chidambaram will be discussing issues relating to Global Economy including Key Challenges facing the Global Economy, issues relating to Investment and Infrastructure, Growth Challenge Including Building a Common Vision for Growth Strategies, issues relating to IMF Reforms, Financial Regulation and tax matters among others.

During his stay in Sydney, Australia, the Finance Minister Shri Chidambaram will also hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from various G-20 member countries. During the two day G-20 Finance Ministers’ and Central Bank Governors’ Meeting, the Finance Minister will be participating in a Session to endorse the package of Financial Reforms to be completed by the Brisbane Summit. There will also be another Session to endorse a draft Global Standard on Automatic Exchange of Information and G-20 Tax Agenda for 2014 and signing off any outstanding communiqué issues on tax among others.

Besides above, the Finance Minister Shri Chidambaram will also be addressing the Investors’ Meet in Sydney after the conclusion of G-20 Finance Ministers’ and Central Bank Governors’ Meeting on 23rd February, 2014.

The Finance Minister Shri Chidambaram will also meet the Premier and representatives of New South Wales Government during his stay in Australia. The Finance Minister will later also hold meetings with Major Institutional Investors’ and hold Round Table Meeting with major Businesses during his stay in Sydney, Australia.

The Finance Minister will leave for India on 25th February, 2014.

G-20 tax agenda advances international tax transparency and financial reform coordination for cross-border cooperation. The Finance Minister will lead an Indian delegation at the G-20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting to engage on global economic challenges, investment and infrastructure policy, IMF reform, financial regulation, and tax matters, including endorsing a draft Global Standard on Automatic Exchange of Information and the G-20 tax agenda, and to finalize multilateral financial reform elements for summit adoption.