The GIFS Initiative is the first Indo-European platform which supports the greening of the Indian financial system, through knowledge exchanges, trainings and networking, targeting like-minded finance practitioners from banks, investment funds and financial institutions. The GIFS Initiative expects to widen and shape the discourse around greening the financial ecosystem and support its operationalization through the Indian institutions. It has been founded by Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation (SSEF), French Development Agency (AFD) and Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) in December 2021. In 2022 and 2023, more than 500 participants participated in the different events organized by the GIFS Initiative.

GIFS proposes to gather again the financial community to reflect on the recent developments on green finance from the financial market side, and to invite more stakeholders to discuss how the financial system and the MSMEs can find a common ground to ensure a resilient and low-carbon transition in India.

The conference will also include the GRoW summit – GRoW is the professional network for women in climate finance, which was created as part of the GIFS Initiative.

For more information, visit https://www.gifsinitiative.in/ and https://grownetwork.in/.

Objective of the event

• A platform to share updates on the 2022 and 2023 activities which have contributed to the greening of the Indian financial system.
• Setting up the "Greening the Finance-to-Finance Green" (G2FG) Technical Assistance platform for MSMEs and financial institutions.
• Networking of the financial and MSMEs communities
• Present key updates, enable collaboration and advancing engagement of women in green and climate finance through GRoW.

Modalities

• Location - Mumbai

Timing	Topic	Details
10am-10:30am	Registration	Registration, coffee, networking
10.30am–10.40am	Opening Remarks	Introduction on GIFS – Dr. R.K. Singh, CGM & Head, Green Vertical, SIDBI
10:40am-11:00am	Voices on GRoW by Women Entrepreneurs	Introduction on GRoW – Kruthika Jerome Credit Access for Green Investment by Women Entrepreneurs and role of GRoW (5 mins each) Ms. Kalyani Shinde, Godaam Innovations (climate smart post-harvest solutions) Ms. Chaitsi Ahuja, Founder of Brown Living Ms. Vanita Prasad, REVY Environmental Solutions (waste management services)
11:00am-11:45am	Policy Perspective on Climate Financing Landscape India: developments in the banking sector and regulation	Mr. Sivasubramanian Ramann, CMD, SIDBI – Welcome Address Mr. Vivek Joshi, Secretary, DFS, MoF (Special Address) Mr. S.C.L. Das, Secretary, MoMSME (Special Address) Mr. Sunil Nair, CGM, RBI (Special Address) V Chandrasekar, Senior Advisor, IBA (Special Address)
11:45pm-12:30pm	Sharing of GIFS achievements GIFS Report Card Introduction to the G2FG Platform (Shakti) GRoW Network (AFD)	Mr. Nitin Desai, Member of Board, SSEF Mr. Sivasubramanian Ramann, IA&AS, Chairman & Managing Director, SIDBI Ms. Audrey Brulé - Françoise, Deputy Head Financial Systems Division, AFD
12:30pm-2.00pm	Networking Lunch
Theme Sessions
2:00pm-2:45pm	Industrial association Perspective - What are their Green Aspiration?	Feedback from Companies’ representatives regarding access to climate finance: aspirations, successes and difficulties Potential questions to be answered: (1) What are they looking for (in terms of products, scale, level of involvement from the banker)? (2) What are the difficulties they encounter? can they share a success story? Speakers: (15 Min each) (1) Mr. Rajiv Chawla, Chairman, IamSMEofIndia (2) Mr. Anil Bhardwaj, Secretary General, FISME (3) Ms. Krishna Datta, President, COWE India (Maharashtra Chapter)
2:45pm-3:30pm	Lessons learnt of G20 Presidency for the Indian financial sector and perspective + COP28 messages and takeaways in Indian Context	- Mr. Dhruba Purkayastha, Director, CPI - Mr. Vivek Adhia, Associate Director, BCG - Ms. Neha Kumar, Climate Bond Initiative - Mr. Koyel Kr. Mandal, Chief of Programmes, Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation Moderated by - Mr. Prakash Kumar, DMD, SIDBI
Break - 15 Min
3:45pm-4:30pm	Panel Discussion: The Nexus of Women and Green Finance across Stakeholders Discuss how climate outcomes can be improved from two lenses: (i) increased access to finance for women climate entrepreneurs. (ii) increased participation from women in green finance. Focus on key challenges to be addressed and what GRoW is doing to bridge the gaps.	- Ms. Ekta Mehra (Senior Sector Specialist), KFW - Ms. Natalia Bhatia (Practice Lead for Gender and Inclusion, FIG Asia), IFC - Ms. Smitha Hari, President, AuctusESG - Ms. Shruti Srivastava, Investment Director, Avaana Capital - Ms. Roopa Satish, IndusInd Bank (including Sharing of Experience being GIFS signatory) Moderated by - Ms. Neetu Chitkara, MD & Partner, BCG
4:30pm - 4.45pm	Summing Up	By GIFS Partner(s)
4.45pm - 6.00pm	Networking Tea