Marking a significant moment in their 64-year diplomatic relationship, India and Paraguay reaffirmed their shared commitment to stronger ties during the first State Visit of President Santiago Peña Palacios to India from June 2 to 4, 2025. Hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, this high-level engagement not only celebrated the historic bond between the two nations but also laid a concrete roadmap for future collaboration across sectors.
During his visit, President Peña, accompanied by key cabinet ministers and officials, held wide-ranging discussions with Prime Minister Modi in New Delhi and engaged with other Indian leaders, including President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, and External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar. His visit also included a stop in Mumbai, reflecting Paraguay’s interest in exploring economic and commercial partnerships.
Strengthening the Strategic Agenda
The talks between the two leaders reflected the evolving depth and breadth of India-Paraguay relations. Key areas of cooperation discussed included trade and investment, agriculture, space technology, education, green energy, health, and digital innovation. Both countries committed to enhancing economic cooperation under the India-MERCOSUR Preferential Trade Agreement, to broaden market access and deepen supply chain synergies.
In a major development, Paraguay expressed interest in collaborating with ISRO for satellite development and Earth observation. The space partnership signals a forward-looking engagement, further bolstered by Paraguay’s appreciation for training opportunities offered by India’s space institutions.
Partnership for Global Challenges
As members of the Global South, both India and Paraguay underlined their commitment to multilateralism and international cooperation. They pledged joint efforts in counter-terrorism, cybersecurity, disaster resilience, and climate action. President Peña expressed strong support for India’s initiatives in global platforms, including the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) and the Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA), where Paraguay has now joined as a founding member.
Prime Minister Modi also welcomed Paraguay’s entry as the 100th member of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and emphasised further cooperation in clean energy and critical minerals.
Cultural and Educational Exchanges
Cultural diplomacy and educational collaboration formed another cornerstone of the visit. Discussions are underway to formalise a Cultural Exchange Programme, boosting mutual appreciation of each other’s art, music, literature, and performing arts. In education, the two sides explored ways to align on digital learning, skill development, and infrastructure enhancement to uplift Paraguay’s educational ecosystem.
A Shared Future
The establishment of a Joint Commission Mechanism (JCM) at the Vice-Ministerial level was announced, ensuring structured and regular dialogue between both nations across key domains.
Both leaders expressed their desire to expand cooperation not just bilaterally, but also in regional and multilateral frameworks. President Peña condemned terrorism in all forms and extended solidarity with India over the tragic Pahalgam attack, affirming shared values of peace and global security.
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