Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Buenos Aires, Argentina, on July 4 and 5 will mark the first bilateral trip by an Indian Prime Minister to the South American nation in nearly six decades.
PM Modi has been to Argentina before, having attended the G20 Summit there in 2018. This upcoming visit, however, is his first bilateral trip, underlining both countries’ commitment to deepen their strategic ties.
The visit will begin with the Prime Minister paying homage at the statue of General José de San Martín, Argentina’s revered freedom fighter and national hero. He will be accorded a ceremonial welcome and will hold delegation-level talks with President Javier Milei. The discussions will be followed by a lunch hosted by the Argentine President in honour of the Prime Minister.
India and Argentina share a strategic partnership since 2019 and celebrated 75 years of diplomatic ties last year. This visit comes at a pivotal moment for Argentina, which is undertaking significant economic reforms that echo India’s own transformative economic journey. Both leaders are expected to hold extensive talks on expanding economic and trade ties.
Key areas on the agenda include India’s advancements in defence manufacturing, the space sector, information technology, and digital public infrastructure (DPI). India is also looking to share its expertise in telemedicine and digital healthcare solutions, which could help Argentina improve access to medical services and ensure cost-effective healthcare delivery.
Argentina’s vast natural resources present further opportunities for cooperation. The country holds the world’s second-largest shale gas reserves and the fourth-largest shale oil reserves, alongside substantial conventional oil and gas deposits—making it a potentially important energy partner for India. Argentina’s significant reserves of critical minerals such as lithium, copper, and other rare earth elements are vital for India’s clean energy transition and industrial growth. India’s public sector enterprise, KABIL, has already secured concessions in Argentina since 2024, and further discussions are expected during the visit.
The bilateral talks are likely to pave the way for enhanced cooperation in trade and investment, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, defence and security, infrastructure, mining and mineral resources, agriculture and food security, green energy, ICT, digital innovation, disaster management, science and technology, education, and people-to-people ties.
Prime Minister Modi’s historic visit is expected to lay the foundation for stronger strategic engagement and open new avenues of collaboration between India and Argentina in the years ahead.
from National https://ift.tt/DOAzGLq