India’s demographic dividend visible in rapidly growing fintech ecosystem, says FM Sitharaman

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said that India should pursue technological innovation at scale, but without compromising human responsibility, safety and public trust.
 
Addressing the Global Fintech Festival 2026, the Finance Minister said India’s young generation was not waiting for opportunities but was creating platforms, enterprises and new solutions. She said India’s demographic dividend was visible in the country’s rapidly growing technology and fintech ecosystem.
 
Smt. Sitharaman also questioned those who view India’s demographic dividend through a lens of perpetual pessimism. Referring to sceptics in a lighter vein, she said “naraz fufa jis” are never short of reasons to doubt India’s moment and capabilities.
 
Highlighting the challenges posed by emerging technologies, the Finance Minister described Artificial Intelligence as a double-edged sword. She said AI can help detect fraud faster, but can also enable perpetrators to automate larger and more sophisticated frauds. 
 
Finance Minister stressed the need for greater institutional accountability in the development and deployment of Artificial Intelligence. She said speed and efficiency should not come at the cost of safety, transparency and human oversight. Regulators, boards and senior management, she said, must understand how AI is used, the decisions it influences and the risks involved.
 
She also called for stronger cybersecurity, data protection, consumer protection and cooperation between regulators and innovators. The Finance Minister said the success of India’s fintech sector should be measured not only by transactions and valuations, but also by the trust it earns and the problems it solves.
 
Smt. Sitharaman also urged the Reserve Bank of India to further advance its wholesale and retail Central Bank Digital Currency pilots, citing the growing momentum in tokenisation and digital finance.