India Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has cancelled his attendance at the Asian Development Bank’s annual meeting in Yokohama, Japan, because of pressing domestic engagements at home.
Jaitley, who also holds the additional charge of defence minister, is however scheduled to travel to Tokyo this weekend seeking Japanese investment into India. He was scheduled to attend ADB’s 50th annual meeting here from May 4-7.
Official sources said Jaitley will not be attending the meet, but did not give any reasons for the same. It is understood that the move may be linked to the mutilation of bodies of two Indian soldiers by Pakistani troops.
Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das will fill in for Jaitley at the ADB event.
Finance ministers and central bank governors of member ations are slated to attend the annual meet that is being held under the theme ‘Building Together the Prosperity of Asia’ with focus on the region’s growing need for infrastructure as a critical component for achieving sustainable and inclusive development.
The sources said Jaitley is now scheduled to arrive in Tokyo on May 6 and will meet with CEOs of Japanese companies, besides Japanese leadership.