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Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank to start work this month

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IANS New Delhi
Last Updated : Jan 11 2016 | 8:49 PM IST

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), which is to become operational this month, will be a good source of funding for infrastructure projects in India, the government said on Monday.

"AIIB to become operational this month. Will be a good source of funding for infra projects in India," Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das tweeted.

"Had very positive meeting with President designate of Asia Infra Investment Bank (AIIB) Mr. Jin Liqun today in New Delhi," he said in another tweet.

Jin earlier paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who expressed confidence that AIIB along with the BRICS New Development Bank would play an instrumental role in development of infrastructure in the Asian region, according to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office.

"Prime Minister assured that as a founding member of the AIIB and the second largest shareholder in the Bank, India would extend full support for the success of the Bank," it said.

The China-initiated AIIB was officially launched in Beijing last month.

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The launch of the first major multilateral lender with developing countries holding the majority of the shares and votes, came just six months after an articles of agreement was signed by 57 prospective founding members in June, and 26 months after Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed it in October 2013.

Jin said at the inauguration that the bank will start recruiting new members, adding that members of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) could apply to join it.

With authorized capital of $100 billion, the AIIB will initially prioritise investment in energy, power generation, transportation, rural infrastructure, environmental protection and logistics. It is expected to offer loans to the first batch of projects in mid-2016.

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First Published: Jan 11 2016 | 8:38 PM IST

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