New Delhi: Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman will visit the United Kingdom from 8 to 10 April, and the United States from 21 to 26 April, two people aware of the matter told Mint.

In the UK, Sitharaman will participate in the India-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue and meet key government officials, said the first person cited above, who did not wish to be named.

The meetings will include representatives from India’s ministry of finance, ministry of external affairs, Reserve Bank of India, Securities and Exchange Board of India, International Financial Services Centres Authority, and officials from the UK Treasury, Bank of England, and the Financial Conduct Authority.

Sitharaman will visit the US for the 2025 Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund, said the first person cited above.

“During her visit to the UK, Sitharaman may hold a bilateral meeting with the UK’s chancellor of the exchequer Rachel Reeves and other British ministers,” this person added.

India-UK free trade agreement

Sitharaman’s visit to the UK comes as the two countries negotiate a free trade agreement. On 24 February commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal and UK secretary of state for business and trade Jonathan Reynolds announced the resumption of talks for the proposed India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) after an eight-month pause.

Launched on 13 January 2022, there have been 14 rounds of talks so far. The two countries are negotiating three key agreements—the FTA, a bilateral investment treaty (BIT), and a double taxation avoidance agreement.

Sitharaman’s visit to the US will come weeks after President Donald Trump imposes reciprocal tariffs on America’s trading partners. A reciprocal tariff is a trade measure in which a country matches another’s import duties on its exports to ensure balanced trade and protect domestic industries.

India-US talks

India and the US are slated to hold sectoral talks under a proposed bilateral trade agreement (BTA) in the coming weeks. The decision follows four days of negotiations between senior officials of both countries, which concluded on 29 March.

“The finance minister’s US trip will primarily involve her participation in the World Bank Group and IMF Spring Meetings. She is expected to meet top officials of the World Bank and IMF,” said the second person cited above.

“This visit comes at a crucial time for India’s trade and investment negotiations with both the UK and the US. While discussions in London may also focus on advancing the FTA and investment framework, engagements in Washington will likely centre around global economic cooperation,” this person added.

A spokesperson for the ministry of finance did not respond to emailed queries.