India and Argentina

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Embassy of India 

Buenos Aires 

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INDIA-ARGENTINA BILATERAL RELATIONS 

Political Relations 

India and Argentina, the two vibrant democracies separated by two oceans  irrespective of the direction one takes, are bound by shared values, mutual respect,  understanding and respect for rule of law. The two friendly countries have enjoyed cohesive  and strong relations spread across wide spectrum of sectors which have deepened over  decades. India-Argentina diplomatic relations were elevated to the level of Strategic  Partnership during the State Visit to India of the then President of Argentina, in February  2019. Both countries completed 75 years of their diplomatic relationship on 3 February  2024. Several events were organised during 2024 to commemorate the 75 years of  establishment of bilateral relations. It culminated in the launch of a commemorative book  titled "India-Argentina: 75 Años de Relaciones Diplomáticas" (India-Argentina: 75 Years of  Diplomatic Relations) on 19 December 2024. 

  1. Multi-faceted relations between the two countries have strengthened over the years  and encompass political, economic, defence, mining, cultural and scientific & technological  cooperation. India opened a Trade Commission in Buenos Aires in 1943, which was later  converted into one of the first Embassies of India in South America, in 1949. Argentina had  established a Consulate in Kolkata in the 1920s, which was shifted to Delhi as an Embassy  in 1950. Argentina has a Consulate General in Mumbai since April 2009.  

Bilateral Exchanges  

  1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with President Javier Milei on  19 November 2024 during the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro. PM Modi was among the first  leaders to congratulate President-elect Javier Milei on Twitter following his victory on 19  November 2023. President Milei also tweeted congratulating PM Modi on his victory on 4  June, which was duly reciprocated by the latter. 

  2. There have been exchanges at the highest level between the two countries. Prime  Minister Narendra Modi and President Alberto Fernandez briefly interacted during G20  Summit in Rome in October 2021 and had their first bilateral meeting on 26 June 2022 on  the margins of G7 Summit in Munich, Germany. PM Modi visited Argentina to participate in  G20 Summit in November-December 2018. He had interactions with former President Macri  on five different occasions during 2017-19 on the sidelines of multilateral summits. Earlier  VVIP visits include those of PM PV Narasimha Rao in 1995 for G15 Summit; State Visit of  President Gyani Zail Singh in 1984; PM Smt. Indira Gandhi in 1968 and VP Dr S  Radhakrishnan in 1954. 

  3. President Fernandez travelled to India to participate in G20 Summit in September  2023 and also participated in the G20 virtual Summit on 22 November 2023. From  Argentina, other State Visits include President Mauricio Macri in February 2019; Private visit  of Vice President Ms. Gabriela Michetti in March 2019; State Visit of President Ms. Cristina  Fernández de Kirchner in 2009; President Carlos Menem in March 1994 for G15 Summit; 

President Raul Alfonsin in 1985 as Chief Guest on Republic Day; President Reynaldo  Begnone in 1983 to attend NAM Summit and President Arturo Frondizi in December 1961. 

  1. External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr S Jaishankar and Foreign Minister Gerardo  Werthein had a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of Munich Security Conference (MSC) on  12 February 2025. Earlier EAM also had a meeting with then Foreign Minister Diana  Mondino on the sidelines of Munich Security conference on 16 February 2024. EAM also  had meetings with FM Cafiero on 1 March 2023 and 24 April 2022 during latter’s visit to  Delhi for G20 Ministerial and Raisina Dialogue respectively, besides a telephonic  conversation on 14 January 2022. EAM visited Buenos Aires on 25-26 August 2022 for  bilateral Joint Commission Meeting with Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero. He also met  President Fernandez. EAM had also met the then Foreign Minister Felipe Solá on the  sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Matera, Italy, on 30 June 2021 and the  two had a telephonic conversation on 5 May 2020. Minister of State for External Affairs Shri  V Muraleedharan paid a bilateral visit and held meetings with the then Argentine Foreign  Minister and Vice Foreign Minister in Buenos Aires on 29 August 2019.  

  2. From Argentina, the then Foreign Minister Diana Mondino visited India from 6-9  October 2024, and held the 7th Joint Commission meeting with EAM on 8 October 2024.  During the visit, FM Mondino also met with Commerce and Industries Minister Piyush Goyal  and Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri. Minister of Defence Jorge  Taiana visited India in July 2023, the first-ever bilateral visit by a Defence Minister of  Argentina. He held talks with Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh on increasing defence  cooperation between two countries, including measures to enhance defence industrial  partnership. Minister of Science, Technology & Innovation Daniel Filmus paid an official visit  to India in February 2023. 

  3. Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar, held a video  conference (VC) with Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of Argentina on 20  November 2020. Delegations led by Dr. VK Saraswat, Member, NITI Aayog, in October  2019, and Alok Tandon, Secretary Mines, in August-September 2021, visited Buenos Aires  and the Provinces of Jujuy and Catamarca, respectively for exploration of partnerships in  the mining sector, particularly in lithium. An official and business delegation led by VL  Kantha Rao, Secretary, Ministry of Mines, visited Buenos Aires in January 2025 for the 1st  Joint Working Group meeting on Mineral Resources. The delegation also visited the  Province of Catamarca to explore opportunities in mining sector. 

  4. The high-level bilateral visits and interactions intensified during Indian Presidency of  G20 in 2023. Economy Minister Sergio Massa visited Indian in February 2023 for G20  Finance Ministers’ Meeting and held bilateral meetings with Finance Minister Nirmala  Sitharaman. FM Santiago Cafiero visited India in March 2023 for G20 FMM in New Delhi.  S&T Minster Daniel Flimus paid another visit, this time for G20 Ministerial Meeting and  Sparce Economy Leaders Meeting (SELM), in July 2023. Labour Minister Ms. Raquel  Kismer de Olmos attended G20 Ministerial from 20-22 July in Indore and Minister of  Women, Genders and Diversity Ms. Ayelén Mazzina participated in G20 Conference for  Women Empowerment in Gandhinagar from 1-4 August 2023. Health Minister Ms. Carla  Vizzotti participated virtually in the health session during second Voice of Global South  Summit (VOGSS) on 17 November 2023. Minister of Human Capital Ms. Sandra Pettovello  and Energy Secretary Eduardo Chirillo participated virtually in the 3rd Voice of Global South  Summit on 17 August 2024.

  5. Various mechanisms of institutional bilateral dialogue have been reinvigorated. The  7th Joint Commission meeting was held on 08 October 2024 in New Delhi. The 7th round of  Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) was held in Buenos Aires on 13 September 2024,  following the previous meeting on 21 November 2021 in New Delhi. After an interregnum of  29 years, the third meeting of Joint Trade Committee took place on 20 October 2020 via  video conference. The third meeting of ISRO-CONAE (Argentine Space Agency) Joint  Committee, under the Agreement on Cooperation on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space signed  in 2009, was held virtually on 04 October 2024. The first meeting of the Joint Working  Group on Agricultural Cooperation was held virtually on 1 July 2020. The second meeting of  Joint Coordination Committee under the bilateral Agreement for Cooperation in Peaceful  Uses of Nuclear Energy was held in Buenos Aires from 1 to 3 August 2023. 

  6. Indian Army officers / officials participated in the first Joint Mountaineering Expedition  to climb Mount Aconcagua, the highest peak in Americas in Andes range from 03-20  January 2025.  

Economic and Commercial Relations  

  1. India-Argentina bilateral trade more than doubled in three years from 2019 to 2022,  peaking at USD 6.4 billion in 2022. In both 2021 and 2022, India was Argentina’s fourth largest trading partner. Argentina is one of the primary suppliers of edible oils, especially  soybean oil, to India. However, due to the severe drought in Argentina, compounded by the  resulting scarcity of foreign exchange, India-Argentina bilateral trade faced significant  challenges in 2023 and settled at USD 3.9 billion, a decline of 39%. In 2024, with improved  weather conditions and a much more stable economy under the new government, trade  regained its momentum, rising by 33% to USD 5.2 billion. India ranked as Argentina's fifth largest trading partner and export destination.  

  2. Major items of India’s exports to Argentina include petroleum oils, agro chemicals,  yarn-fabric-madeups, organic chemicals, bulk drugs and two-wheelers. Major items of  India’s imports from Argentina include vegetable oils (soybean and sunflower), finished  leather, cereals, residual chemicals and allied products and pulses.  

  3. Several Indian companies have established operations in Argentina with a total  investment of over USD 1 billion. These include TCS, Mahindra Comviva, Infosys, AEGIS Essar, Crisil, UPL, Advanta Seeds, Bajaj Motorcycles, TVS, Royal Enfield, Hero Motors,  Glenmark, Godrej and Sri Sri Tattva. Argentina’s investment in India stands at  approximately USD 120 million with presence of Globant and OLX in IT services and  TECHINT in the engineering sector. 

  4. Agreements to promote cooperation in oil and gas sector was signed between OVL  Ltd and YPF (Argentine public sector company) in February 2023. In first ever acquisition of  lithium resources abroad, the state-owned KABIL signed an agreement with CAMYEN  (public sector undertaking of Province of Catamarca) on 15 January 2024 to lease five  lithium blocks for exploration and eventual exploitation. The first ever commercial  agreement in defence sector was signed between Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)  and Argentine Air Force in February 2023 for supply of helicopters spares and engine  maintenance. The two PSUs, HAL and FAdeA, signed a cooperation agreement in June  2023. On 04 November 2024, the Heavy Water Board of India signed an agreement with 

the state-owned Nuclear Electric Company of Argentina (NASA) for the supply of heavy  water to Argentina for 4 years. Additionally, Argentina's state-owned oil and gas company,  YPF, signed an MOU in January 2025 with a consortium of Oil India Limited (OIL), Gas  Authority of India Limited (GAIL), and ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL) for exploring the  cooperation in energy and mining sector.  

  1. A bilateral business chamber, India-Argentina Business Council (IABC), was formally  launched on 14 October 2020 by the then Minister of Productive Development Matias  Kulfas and Ambassador Dinesh Bhatia. The Council, a non-profit organization comprising  leading industries, exporters and importers in Argentina, is currently composed of over 30  companies. IABC, together with the Embassy, organized the first Business Forum on 25  March 2021 and also hosted a business seminar on 26 August 2022, which was attended  by more than 60 leading Argentine and Indian companies during EAM’s visit to Buenos  Aires. 

Trade and Investment Promotion Events  

  1. Mission in collaboration with IABC, organized the India-Argentina Business Summit 2025 (IABS) on 26 March 2025. Vice President Victoria Villaruel graced the event as the  Chief Guest. This event saw a participation of CEOs of large businesses, prominent  politicians, high-ranking government officials, think tanks, members of mainstream media,  and influencers Mission also hosted a Defence Export Promotion Roadshow on the  sidelines of IABS. Earlier, in commemoration of 75 anniversary of diplomatic relations,  Embassy in association with IABC, organized IABC Business event on 29th February 2024.  The event saw the participation of prominent Government officials, respected Business  leaders, various think tanks. 
     
  2. There has been regular exchange of visits between the two countries including  participation of Government officials and businessmen in focused events by trade and  export promotion agencies, delegation level visits in specific sectors, participation in  exhibitions, buyer-seller meets (BSM) and B2B meetings. Mission has organized,  coordinated and participated in multiple interactions with FICCI, CII, FIEO, Electronics and  Software Council of India (ESC), PHDCCI, Argentine Chamber of Commerce and Services  (CACS), Argentine Chamber of Software Industry (CESSI), Latin American Integration  Association (ALADI), Exim Bank, various Argentine Banks, Coffee promotion events,  besides BSMs for members of Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts, Electronics &  Software Council of India and CESSI and Chemical and Allied Products Export Council  (CAPEXIL). Mission has maintained active interactions with representatives of Indian  companies in Argentina and Indian companies interested in expanding business in  Argentina. 

  3. Some of the recent endeavors include participation of Indian companies, coordinated  by FICCI, in 2023 edition of ExpoMedical, the largest Medical Devices exhibition in LAC  region; visit of a 22-member delegation of Solvent Extractors Association (SEA) of India to  Argentina from 27 March to 02 April 2023 and their participation in International Sunflower  Seed and Oil Conference held at Buenos Aires from 29-30 March; Festival of India in  conjunction with International Day of Yoga in 2024; and buyer-seller meet for 15 Indian  companies in basic chemicals, cosmetics and dyes, coordinated by CHEMEXCIL, on 2  October 2023. CHMEXCIL also signed an MOU for cooperation with its Argentine  counterpart CAPQ.

  4. Mission also hosted a high-level delegation from Uttar Pradesh State Government  led by Shri Brajesh Pathak, Deputy Chief Minister and Dr Sanjay Kumar Nishad, Minister of  Fisheries to Buenos Aires from 13-15 December 2022 and organized a Roadshow for them. 

Cultural Relations 

  1. The admiration for and impact of Indian culture, yoga, meditation, philosophy,  spiritualism, dance and music in Argentina perhaps transcends that in any other country.  Indian organizations such as Art of Living, Brahmakumari, Rama Krishna Mission,  Sivananda Yoga and ISKCON among others have extraordinary followings.  

  2. Foreign Minister Felipe Solá participated in Gandhi@150 celebrations in Buenos  Aires on 02 October 2020. Further, President Alberto Fernández addressed a letter to  Prime Minister Modi on the occasion. Earlier, on 2 October 2019, the then Vice President  Ms. Gabriela Michetti was the Chief Guest at a function held at the Embassy in Buenos  Aires to celebrate Gandhi@150.  

  3. The Embassy has been organizing cultural programs, including ‘India Weeks’ and  ‘India Days’ in prominent cities and provinces of Argentina where Ambassador Dinesh  Bhatia has been making presentation on “India i.e. Bharat.” India tourism promotion  activities are also held periodically in the capital city and provinces of Argentina. Mission  also organized various activities in Buenos Aires to promote Mission LiFE initiative of Prime  Minister Modi, including activities like walkathon, beach cleaning and swachhtha  campaigns. 

  4. All ten editions of International Day of Yoga (IDY) have seen large scale and  enthusiastic participation in Buenos Aires as well as in provinces. The 10th IDY celebrations  on 21 June 2024 were held at La Rural on the theme of Yoga for Self and Society. The  event was immensely successful witnessing participation of more than 12,000 people  despite of incessant rain and inclement weather. In 2018, an event titled ‘Yoga for Peace’  organized by Art of Living was attended by PM Modi with participation of over 4000 people  and 600 people performing Yoga simultaneously. Mission has successfully conducted Yoga  capacitation projects in training academies of Argentine Federal Police as well as those of  Buenos Aires City Police and Buenos Aires Provincial Police. 

  5. The Embassy, in association with CARI, the largest think tank in Argentina, hosted a  reception on 24 April 2024 to inaugurate a working group on India. The chief guests of the  event were Vice President of the Republic of Argentina Victoria Villaruel and Minister of  Justice Mariano Cúneo Libarona. The event also witnessed Secretaries of Ministries,  senators and deputies, and prominent businessmen.
     
  6. Ambassador, joined by Demian Reidel, Chief of Advisors to President Milei and Dr  Sachin Chaturvedi, DG Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS),  launched Spanish version of Development Review published by Dakshin / RIS, on 15  November 2024. The Indian Embassy curated an online event titled ‘India and Argentina in  the New World Order: Dialogue among Indian and Argentine Think Tanks’, co-organized  with RIS and Center for Implementation of Public Policies for Equity and Growth (Spanish  acronym: CIPPEC), held on 6 November 2020. EAM and FM Felipe Solá delivered remarks  in the Closing Session. Spread across five sessions, the Dialogue witnessed participation 

by several distinguished members of the think tank community from India and Argentina.  The live streaming across platforms, simultaneously in English and Spanish languages,  garnered over 1000 viewers  

  1. The 9th Ayurveda Day celebrations, jointly hosted by the Mission and Fundacion  Ayurveda Prema under the theme “Ayurveda Innovation for Global Health", were  inaugurated by the Ambassador and attended by Dr Agustina Bisio, Director of ANMAT on 9  November 2024. More than 250 participants attended the event, including Ayurveda  experts, doctors, nutritionists, and influencers, highlighting Ayurveda's holistic approach to  well-being. The celebrations of Ayurveda Days in 2022 and 2023, themed “Har Din Har  Ghar Ayurveda” and ‘Ayurveda for One Health” respectively, saw participation of 130 people  and 250, respectively.  

  2. As part of celebrations of 160th birth anniversary of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore,  the Mission published a book titled “Rabindranath Tagore: Visiones desde America Latina”  in collaboration with CARI (Argentine Council for International Relations), the largest  Argentine think tank. The Book was jointly launched on 16 September 2021 by Ambassador  and Jose Octavio Bordon, CARI President. Events to commemorate the birth anniversary of  Tagore are hosted by the Mission every year at Tagore’s bust, installed in 2019 at Parque  Rosedal (Rose Park), Buenos Aires. 

  3. To celebrate the centennial of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore’s visit to Argentina in  1924, where he was a guest of the renowned literary figure Victoria Ocampo, Ambassador  Dinesh Bhatia organized series of events. He inaugurated the first of four monthly online  seminar sessions titled “El legado viviente de Rabindranath Tagore” on 20 July 2024.  Joined by Secretary of Culture Leonardo Cifelli, Ambassador Bhatia offered floral tributes to  bust of Tagore on 6 November 2024, to commemorate Gurudev’s arrival in Argentina.  Furthermore, Ambassador Bhatia organised a seminar on 22 November 2024 at Villa  Ocampo, in partnership with Fundación Sur. A joint production feature film, Pensando en el  (Thinking of Him) on his visit was the closing film at the International Film Festival of India,  Goa in November 2017. 

  4. Ms. Victoria Ocampo was given an honorary doctorate by the Viswa Bharati  University and this was handed over by Prime Minister Smt Indira Gandhi during her visit to  Argentina in 1968. Ms Maria Rene Cura, an Argentine writer and close associate of Ms  Victoria Ocampo was a renowned Indologist and was awarded the Padma Shri for her  Indology work in 1984. Mr Raul Prebisch, the renowned Argentine economist was conferred  Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding in 1974.  

  5. In 2015, at the first World Indologists Conference held in Delhi, 100-year-old  Indologist Dr. Fernando Tola represented Argentina and was selected for the Presidential  Award of Certificate of Honour in 2016 in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the  cause of Sanskrit.  

Technical and Development Cooperation  

  1. Mission has made tremendous outreach efforts resulting in visit of eight (8) young  politicians from across the political spectrum, to participate in ICCR’s Gen-Next Democracy  Program in January 2023. Ten (10) journalists from mainstream media under XP Division’s  familiarization program visited India during 2023 & 2024. Besides, eleven (11) Argentine 

diplomats have attended Professional Courses for Foreign Diplomats (PCFD) and five (5)  Argentine diplomats have attended Annual Disarmament and International Security Affairs  Fellowship Program, conducted by SSIFS.  

  1. India has extended 40-45 slots annually under Indian Technical and Economic  Cooperation (ITEC) scholarships for capacity building courses to Argentina with total  number of ITEC alumni over 300. Four Argentine candidates have attended the fully funded  8-week training program named ‘UNNATI (UNispace Nano-satellite Assembly & Training by  ISRO, two from Jan-March 2019 and another two from Oct-December 2022. Two officials  from CONAE attended Spacecraft Dynamics and Control Course conducted by IIT Kanpur  in June 2024. 

  2. An India-Argentina Center of Excellence in IT was inaugurated by Ambassador  Dinesh Bhatia and Education Minister Jaime Perczyk on 18 April 2023 at National  University of Hurlingam. CDAC had deputed a Technical Adviser from India to the CEIT. 

Indian Community 

  1. There are around 2600 NRIs / PIOs in Argentina. Majority of these live in the capital  city of Buenos Aires, including professionals working with Indian companies and  multinational corporations such as Cognizant Technologies, IBM, JP Morgan, etc. A large  number of earlier migrants who have been in Argentina for 3-4 generations are in provinces  of Salta and Jujuy. There are two Gurudwaras in Greater Buenos Aires and one in Rosario  de la Frontera, Salta province. 

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08/05/2025

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