Sitaraman Highlights Youth Energy at Global Fintech Festival

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman took the stage at Mumbai’s Global Fintech Festival 2026 to reaffirm India’s demographic strength. She said the nation’s young citizens have moved past negative thinking and are now spearheading future enterprises.

According to the minister, the palpable energy and ambition of thousands of attendees illustrate the power of the demographic dividend. Young innovators are establishing the base for tomorrow’s technologies and sustainable businesses, rendering old productivity gauges less relevant.

Sitaraman listed achievements such as the world’s most robust digital public infrastructure, the UPI system that processes billions of transactions, and India’s advancing presence in space as outcomes of youthful drive.

The event featured about 8,000 organizations, broken down as 20% fintech firms, 25% financial institutions, 43% technology‑related entities, and 12% support services.

She cautioned that artificial intelligence, large language models and cyber threats now have the capacity to shape societies and even electoral outcomes. The minister called for a balanced regulatory regime that safeguards innovation while addressing emerging risks.

In talks with the Reserve Bank of India, Sitaraman advocated for a “soft‑touch regulation” strategy that encourages growth without imposing heavy restrictions. She welcomed RBI’s acknowledgment of the Unified Fintech Forum as a self‑regulatory organization under the SR‑FT framework, describing it as a timely response to the sector’s evolving demands.