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Hans India
30-06-2025
- Business
- Hans India
Critical minerals and defence ties in focus as PM Modi visits Argentina this week
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Argentina this week comes at a particularly significant time as the South American nation is undertaking major economic reforms somewhat similar to those India went through in the past, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Monday. PM Modi will travel to Argentina on an official visit from July 4-5, at the invitation of country's President Javier Milei. This would be the third leg of his five-nation visit, following visits to Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) starting July 2 and before Brazil (July 5-8) and Namibia (July 9). PM Modi has travelled earlier to Argentina for a G20 meeting in 2018, but this will be the first bilateral visit by an Indian PM in the last 57 years and therefore remains historic. As part of the programme, the Prime Minister would start the visit by paying respects at the statue of General Jose de San Martín, Argentina's revered freedom fighter and national hero. The Prime Minister will then be accorded a ceremonial welcome and have delegation-level talks, followed by a lunch hosted by President Milei in honour of the PM. Argentina is a strategic partner of India since 2019 and the two countries celebrated 75 years of diplomatic relations last year. According to the MEA, both leaders will discuss subjects of economic and trade interest to further strengthen bilateral relations. "India's advancements in defence manufacturing, in the space sector, in new areas such as information technology and DPI can offer valuable expertise and we can share experiences with Argentina. Our expertise in Telemedicine and Digital healthcare solutions are also an offer for Argentina in expanding access to medical services and improving overall quality and cost-effective healthcare delivery," said MEA Secretary (East) P. Kumaran while addressing a special media briefing ahead of the PM's visit. Both leaders are scheduled to review ongoing cooperation and discuss ways to further enhance India-Argentina partnership in key areas including defence, agriculture, mining, oil and gas, renewable energy, trade and investment, and people-to-people ties. India and Argentina have significantly advanced bilateral cooperation in the mineral resources sector, particularly in lithium — a critical input for India's green energy transition. An MOU on cooperation in the field of mineral resources was signed in August 2022 between India and Argentina. The first meeting of the Joint Working Group under the MOU was held in January 2025. "Argentina holds the world's second largest shale gas reserves and the fourth largest shale oil reserves along with of course substantial conventional oil and gas deposits, making it a potentially important energy partner for India in the future. Argentina's rich reserves of critical minerals such as lithium, copper and other rare earth elements complement India's growing need for secure and sustainable supplies to these elements for its clean energy transition and industrial growth. India's public sector, KABIL, has already won a few concessions in Argentina since 2024. Our leaders will be discussing more on this subject," Kumaran added. Quite significantly, India-Argentina bilateral trade more than doubled in three years from 2019 to 2022, peaking at USD 6.4 billion in 2022. In 2021 and 2022, India was Argentina's fourth largest trading partner. Argentina is one of the prime suppliers of edible oils – soybean and sunflower – to India. In 2024, total annual bilateral trade between India and Argentina rose by 33 per cent to USD 5.23 billion, positioning India as Argentina's fifth-largest trading partner and export destination.
India Gazette
07-06-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
'We stand firm, resolute in our collective fight against terror'
New Delhi [India], June 6 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday reaffirmed India's commitment to fighting terrorism, stating that India stands firm and resolute in its collective fight against this threat in the backdrop of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 tourists. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed optimism about strengthening ties with Central Asia, following the 4th India-Central Asia Dialogue and posted on X, 'Delighted to meet with the Foreign Ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. India deeply cherishes its historical ties with the countries of Central Asia. Look forward to working together to further deepen our cooperation in trade, connectivity, energy, fintech, food security and health for mutual progress and prosperity. We stand firm and resolute in our collective fight against terrorism.' India hosted the 4th edition of the India-Central Asia Dialogue on Friday in New Delhi, reaffirming its growing commitment to a comprehensive regional partnership across security, connectivity, economic cooperation, and people-to-people ties. The meeting, chaired by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, saw the participation of Foreign Ministers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, and produced a detailed Joint Statement setting the tone for the next phase of India-Central Asia strategic engagement. The Ministers began by reaffirming the deep civilizational, cultural, and historical linkages between India and Central Asian countries, while underscoring their collective resolve to build a forward-looking, enduring partnership. The Dialogue was praised as a key platform for addressing common challenges, strengthening multifaceted cooperation, and harnessing untapped potential to advance shared interests, including peace, security, and sustainable growth in the region. The Joint Statement recorded satisfaction at the progress made since the first India-Central Asia Summit in January 2022, noting advances across sectors. A key area of focus was enhancing trade and investment, with Ministers acknowledging the current levels and calling for expanded efforts in high-potential areas such as pharmaceuticals, IT, agriculture, energy, textiles, and gems and jewellery. Strengthening financial connectivity through digital payment systems, interbank relations, and trade in national currencies was emphasised, with both sides expressing interest in establishing a Joint Working Group to deepen banking and financial ties. Connectivity featured prominently, with strong endorsement of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC). India reiterated its support for the membership of Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in INSTC, and Kazakhstan was lauded for its work on developing its eastern corridor. Chabahar Port also received attention, as the Ministers welcomed continued engagement and simplification of goods transit procedures, including greater use of the TIR Carnet system. India welcomed Central Asian interest in the Shahid Beheshti Terminal at Chabahar as a key trade route to India and beyond. The Ministers welcomed the contributions of the India-Central Asia Business Council (ICABC) in fostering business linkages and investment opportunities. Acknowledging India's ITEC Programme, the Central Asian countries appreciated its role in capacity building, particularly in IT and English language training, and India agreed to broaden its scope to cover additional areas of mutual interest. Expanding technology cooperation was a major theme, with both sides agreeing to promote partnerships in science, space, innovation, and digital infrastructure. Central Asian countries noted India Stack's role in digital transformation, and India agreed to assist in developing Digital Public Infrastructure in the region. The Ministers also agreed to launch an India-Central Asia Digital Partnership Forum, with Uzbekistan offering to host the first meeting. In areas of development partnership, the Ministers stressed joint collaboration in healthcare, food and energy security, public health, and digital innovation. The sides committed to deepening cooperation in healthcare infrastructure, medical tourism, traditional medicine, and UHC models, with the possibility of creating a Joint Working Group on health, the press release stated. Mineral exploration also featured in the talks, with renewed focus on rare earth and critical minerals. Building on the first India-Central Asia Rare Earth Forum in 2024, the Ministers called for holding its second edition soon and encouraged delegation exchanges to explore new areas of cooperation. India's recent capacity building initiatives, such as training programmes on Drug Law Enforcement and Countering Terror Financing, were acknowledged as important steps. The Ministers agreed to continue these exchanges under the banner of South-South cooperation and welcomed collaboration with India's Global South Centre of Excellence 'DAKSHIN.' Cultural ties were also emphasised. Noting longstanding civilisational connections, the Ministers agreed to further strengthen cultural, educational, and humanitarian cooperation. Tajikistan offered to host the second meeting of the India-Central Asia Culture Ministers. Indian Cultural Centres were praised for enhancing cultural diplomacy and bilateral understanding. Security issues were addressed with strong emphasis on coordinated efforts to combat terrorism. The Ministers unequivocally condemned the 22 April terrorist attack in Pahalgam, reaffirming their collective stand against terrorism in all forms and calling for accountability of perpetrators, organisers, and sponsors. They stressed that cross-border terrorism, safe havens, terror financing, radical ideology, and cyber misuse must be addressed, and reiterated the urgency of adopting the UN Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism. Full implementation of UNSC resolutions, the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, and FATF standards was also highlighted. In this regard, regular consultations among National Security Councils were supported, with the next round to be held in Kyrgyz Republic. The Joint Statement further noted multilateral synergies. The Ministers welcomed the designation of 2025 as the 'International Year of Peace and Trust' and the upcoming International Forum of Peace and Trust in Ashgabat. They also praised the First High-Level Conference on Glaciers' Preservation held in Dushanbe. They expressed interest in advancing mountain development under the 'Five-Year Action Plan' from the 77th UN General Assembly. The MEA stated in the press release that the Second Global Mountain Summit 'Bishkek+25' in 2027 was acknowledged as an important next step. Ministers expressed strong support for the SCO's role in regional security and people-to-people engagement. They praised the Council of SCO Heads of State meetings hosted in Astana (2024) and India (2023), reaffirming Central Asia's centrality in the SCO and India's active participation. India, in turn, invited Central Asian countries to join key multilateral initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance (ISA), Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA), Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), and the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA), as mechanisms for sustainable and inclusive growth. The Central Asian countries reaffirmed their support for India's bid for permanent membership in a reformed and expanded UN Security Council. Afghanistan was also discussed, with shared emphasis on a peaceful, terror-free, and drug-free Afghanistan and commitment to close coordination on related issues. The integration of the Termez logistics hub into the UNHCR global stockpile network and Kazakhstan's initiative to establish a UN SDG Hub in Almaty were welcomed, highlighting regional humanitarian and development efforts. Youth diplomacy was also recognised, with support for continued student exchanges and emphasis on student welfare in both regions, as per the MEA press release. Concluding the Dialogue, the Ministers agreed to deepen cooperation across all shared priorities and prepare for the second India-Central Asia Summit later in 2025. They also agreed to hold the 5th India-Central Asia Dialogue in 2026 and thanked the Indian side for its warm hospitality and productive chairmanship. (ANI)
