EAM Jaishankar calls on Paraguay President Santiago Pena Palacios
New Delhi [India], June 2 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, on Monday, called on the visiting President Santiago Pena Palacios of Paraguay, who is on his first State visit to India. In a post on X, Jaishankar highlighted the potential for enhanced cooperation between the two countries.
'Pleased to call on President Palacios of Paraguay at the start of his State Visit to India. Appreciate his positive sentiments and guidance for enhancing cooperation in many domains. Confident that his talks with PM Modi today will open new avenues for India's engagement with Paraguay and the South America region,' Jaishankar said in a post on X.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with President Santiago Pena Palacios of Paraguay at Hyderabad House in New Delhi. Earlier in the day, President Palacios paid a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat, laying a wreath at the memorial. The visit is part of his three-day state visit to India, which will conclude on June 4.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) took to X to post, 'Honouring the values of peace & non-violence. President Santiago Pena Palacios of Paraguay paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat today.'President Palacios arrived in New Delhi on his first State Visit to India and was accorded a ceremonial welcome along with a Guard of Honour at Palam Air Force Station. The President was warmly received by Minister of State Harsh Vardhan Malhotra, highlighting the strong bilateral ties between the two countries.
Sharing an update on X, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal welcomed President Santiago Pena Palacios on his arrival in the national capital. Jaiswal posted, 'Bienvenido, President @SantiPenap! President @SantiPenap of Paraguay has arrived in New Delhi on his first State Visit to India, to a ceremonial welcome & Guard of Honour. Warmly received by MoS Harsh Malhotra @hdmalhotra at the airport. This visit will provide an opportunity to strengthen the relationship.'
The MEA emphasised that President Pena's visit, scheduled from June 2 to June 4, aims to deepen and broaden India-Paraguay ties across political, economic, and cultural spheres. At the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Paraguayan President will be accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising ministers, senior officials, and business representatives.
During the visit, President Pena is set to hold high-level talks with Prime Minister Modi and other senior leaders to review the entire gamut of bilateral relations. Prime Minister Modi will host a lunch in his honour, while President Droupadi Murmu is expected to meet him and host a banquet. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar is also scheduled to call on the visiting dignitary.
President Pena will also travel to Mumbai to engage with state political leadership, business and industry representatives, startups, innovators, and technology leaders. The State Visit provides an opportunity to comprehensively review bilateral ties and discuss regional and international issues of mutual interest. India and Paraguay have enjoyed warm and friendly relations since establishing diplomatic ties on September 13, 1961.
Cooperation between the two countries spans trade, agriculture, health, pharmaceuticals, and information technology sectors. Paraguay is an important trading partner for India in Latin America, with several Indian companies active in Paraguay's automobile and pharmaceutical sectors. Paraguayan companies, mainly through joint ventures, also have a presence in India, strengthening economic ties. Both nations share common views on international issues, including United Nations reforms, climate change, renewable energy, and combating terrorism. (ANI)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
27 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Indian ambassador, Chinese official discuss ties, Kailash Mansarovar Yatra
Top diplomats from India and China met recently to review bilateral relations and work towards implementing the understanding reached by their leaders last year, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday. The meeting, held on Thursday, was between Indian Ambassador to China Pradeep Kumar Rawat and China's Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong, according to a report by the Press Trust of India. It marked the first diplomatic engagement between the two countries since Operation Sindoor. According to a statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry, 'Both sides expressed their willingness to work together to earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries.' Plans for cultural and strategic cooperation The two sides also discussed ways to enhance cultural exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation. The statement said both nations would 'properly manage differences, and promote the development of China-India relations along a healthy and stable track.' In addition, the diplomats 'exchanged views on the issues of common concern,' the Chinese statement added. Sun, who is currently in charge of South Asia affairs at the Chinese Foreign Ministry, previously served as China's Ambassador to India. Thursday's meeting also comes as preparations are being made to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in Tibet for Indian pilgrims. If resumed, this would be the first such step following a prolonged military standoff in eastern Ladakh that had stalled bilateral ties for over four years. Earlier on April 26, India's Ministry of External Affairs had announced that the Yatra would be held from June to August via two routes — the Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand and Nathu La in Sikkim. The pilgrimage was first suspended in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and later due to the border tensions. It is worth mentioning that after the complete disengagement of troops at Demchok and Depsang, based on an agreement reached in October last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Russia's Kazan. There, they agreed to revive multiple bilateral dialogue mechanisms. Since then, several meetings have taken place to help restore normal diplomatic relations. Rawat and Sun had earlier met on April 9 to discuss ties and cooperation in different sectors. Impossible to ignore China: Shashi Tharoor The recent meeting came against the backdrop of Operation Sindoor, launched by India after the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives. After the Pahalgam attack, India carried out precision strikes targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7. Four days of military action followed from both sides, ending after military officials from both nations held talks on May 10 and agreed to cease further operations. On Thursday (June 5), Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said it was 'absolutely impossible' to ignore China during India's confrontation with Pakistan. 'China is an absolutely impossible factor to ignore in what has been our confrontation with Pakistan,' Tharoor said. He noted that before tensions escalated with Pakistan, India was making 'good progress' in its ties with China. Speaking from the US, where he is heading an all-party delegation for Operation Sindoor outreach, Tharoor added, 'I'm not going to mince my words, but we are aware that China has immense stakes in Pakistan.' The timing of the Rawat-Sun meeting also aligns with rising concerns in India over China's export restrictions on rare earth metals. China currently produces 61 per cent of the world's mined rare earths and controls 92 per cent of the global output, according to the International Energy Agency.
Time of India
42 minutes ago
- Time of India
India trusted development partner for Central Asia: Jaishankar
India values Central Asia's support following the Pahalgam terror incident. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar highlights strong ties and India's role as a trusted development partner. Cooperation is expanding in connectivity, trade, tourism, and education. Direct flights and enhanced connectivity boost tourist flow and business. The India-Central Asia Dialogue strengthens regional cooperation in various sectors. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads India on Friday appreciated the Central Asian states for standing by it following the Pahalgam terror attack and reaffirmed that it would be a "trusted development partner" for Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and his opening remarks at the India-Central Asia Dialogue, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said India is keen to expand cooperation with the five countries in a range of areas, including connectivity, trade, tourism and education."I appreciate that your countries stood by India and condemned the heinous terrorist attack that took place in April in Pahalgam," he said India "deeply cherishes" its millennia-old civilisational and cultural ties with Central external affairs minister said the cooperation between India and Central Asia received a "quantum boost" following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's back-to-back visits to all five countries in the region in July 2015."India remains a trusted development partner for all of you," he said, adding that the two-way trade, economic and investment ties have strengthened significantly over the last decade."Today, we are well-connected by multiple direct flights. Our enhanced connectivity facilitates greater two-way tourist flows and businesses," he said both India and the Central Asian nations are committed to advancing mutually beneficial cooperation in areas of trade and investment, defence, regional connectivity, security and new and emerging India-Central Asia Dialogue, launched in January 2019 in Samarkand, is a meeting of foreign ministers. It serves as a key platform for strengthening ties between India and Central second meeting took place virtually in October 2020 and focussed on regional security, counter-terrorism, and infrastructure third meeting was held in New Delhi in December 2021 and emphasised connectivity to further deepen the ties between India and Central Asia.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Batteries, EVs under threat? India fires on all cylinders for rare earths amid China's tightening grip
As China tightens its stranglehold on the global supply of rare earth elements , India is shifting gears — fast. From forging new partnerships in Central Asia to finalising an ambitious incentive scheme for mineral recycling , India is pushing ahead to secure its place in the global race for critical minerals . At the recently held India-Central Asia Dialogue in New Delhi, India and five Central Asian nations expressed mutual interest in jointly exploring rare earths and other critical minerals. In a joint statement, they called for an early meeting of the India-Central Asia Rare Earth Forum, signalling growing geopolitical urgency to diversify away from China's near-monopoly. China's chokehold spurs urgency The backdrop to these moves is no coincidence. Over the past year, China has weaponised its control over rare earths, placing several critical minerals and magnets under strict export licence regimes. These are the very components vital for electric vehicles , wind turbines, semiconductors, and even military-grade systems. Beijing's message is clear: if the West can play export control hardball, China has its own scalpel and it's now using it with surgical precision. While the US, Europe, and Japan scramble to find alternative supply lines, India sees an opening — and it's moving to capitalise. From mission to momentum Under the Rs 34,300 crore National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM), India aims to become self-reliant in sourcing and processing critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earth elements. Joint Secretary in the Mines Ministry, Dinesh Mahur, announced that an incentive scheme for recycling these minerals is in its final stages. The Union Budget has already earmarked Rs 1,500 crore specifically for this effort. Public Sector Enterprises are expected to contribute Rs 18,000 crore to the mission. With a sharp focus on domestic exploration, overseas block acquisition, and technological R&D, the NCMM is India's boldest bet yet to insulate its industries from global supply shocks. Auto industry feels the heat The urgency is not just strategic — it's also economic. Rare earth shortages are already casting a shadow over India's auto sector, especially electric vehicles (EVs), which depend on permanent magnets for motors. Bajaj Auto has warned that its e-scooter production could be impacted from July if Chinese export delays continue. TVS Motor has echoed similar concerns. According to the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), only a third of its members expect sales growth in June. The rare earth crunch, combined with high inventories and tight financing, has pushed automakers to brace for a cautious month — especially as the EV rollout faces headwinds. China's long game, India's fast track What China is doing today has been decades in the making. The world first saw signs of Beijing's ambitions in 2010 when it temporarily banned rare earth exports to Japan over a territorial spat. By 2020, China had passed its own Export Control Law, giving it sweeping powers to curb exports of materials deemed vital to national security. The law was broad enough to include critical minerals, tech, and even data. Now, with the US-China trade war escalating, rare earths have become Beijing's leverage. Export licenses have slowed, production lines in Europe have paused, and Washington is on edge. China's near-monopoly on processing and refining rare earths — not just mining them — means that even if other countries dig up the ores, they'll still need China to process them. Which is why India's current push isn't just policy — it's necessity. The Road Ahead While China refines 90% of the world's rare earths, India is still building capacity. But the groundwork is being laid — with diplomatic ties, budgetary commitments, and strategic focus. The success of the NCMM could determine whether India emerges as a resilient alternative or remains vulnerable to future supply shocks. With global demand for EVs, semiconductors, and green energy tech rising, the stakes couldn't be higher. In this global battle for minerals that power the future, India is no longer on the sidelines. It's suiting up — and firing on all cylinders.
