Pune, April 25 -- Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday praised State Bank of India for establishing its Local Head Office for the Maharashtra Circle in Pune and highlighted the critical role of banks in sustaining India's long-term economic growth amid global uncertainties.

Speaking at the inauguration of the new premises of SBI's Local Head Office in Pune, Sitharaman said the move would strengthen banking outreach across Maharashtra.

"I praise the State Bank of India's decision to establish a local head office in Pune to serve the rest of Maharashtra," she said.

"When global markets are in a churn, our exports take a beating, but to their credit, I must say that despite all the tariffs and other challenges, they are per...