Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his historic state visit to Argentina on Saturday by honouring General José de San Martín — the liberator of Argentina — at the San Martín Memorial in Buenos Aires.
This marks the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Argentina in 57 years, highlighting a growing strategic partnership between the two nations.
The statue of General San Martín, crafted in 1862 by French sculptor Louis Joseph Daumas, stands as a symbol of Argentina’s independence movement.
PM Modi laid a wreath and paid his respects, acknowledging the revered general’s leadership in securing independence for Argentina, Chile, and Peru in the early 19th century.
Following the memorial tribute, Prime Minister Modi was warmly received by President Javier Milei at the iconic Casa Rosada.
A ceremonial welcome preceded delegation-level talks between the two leaders.
President Milei also hosted a luncheon in PM Modi’s honour, underscoring the warmth and mutual respect shared between the two nations.
PM Modi arrived in Buenos Aires on the third leg of his five-nation tour, following visits to Ghana and Trinidad & Tobago.
The visit to Argentina will be followed by stops in Brazil (July 5–8) and Namibia (July 9).
Strengthening strategic ties
India and Argentina have maintained a strategic partnership since 2019, with the two countries celebrating 75 years of diplomatic relations in 2024.
As Argentina undergoes key economic reforms, similar to India’s past transformation, both sides are keen to explore avenues for enhanced cooperation in trade, defence, and innovation.
Ahead of the visit, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) noted that India’s capabilities in defence production, digital infrastructure, healthcare, and space technology present opportunities for collaboration.
MEA Secretary (East) P Kumaran highlighted India’s expertise in digital public infrastructure and telemedicine as beneficial to Argentina’s healthcare goals.
A key component of the talks is the growing partnership in energy and mineral resources. Argentina is home to the second-largest reserves of shale gas and the fourth-largest of shale oil globally.
Its vast reserves of lithium and other critical minerals are crucial to India’s green energy ambitions.
A bilateral MoU signed in 2022 on mineral cooperation led to the first Joint Working Group meeting in January 2025.
Public sector enterprise KABIL has already secured lithium concessions in Argentina, and further discussions are underway to expand this cooperation.
India-Argentina trade has seen robust growth, doubling between 2019 and 2022 to reach USD 6.4 billion.
In 2024, bilateral trade rose by 33%, reaching USD 5.23 billion. India is now Argentina’s fifth-largest trading partner, with edible oils such as soybean and sunflower among key imports.
The visit aims to deepen ties across sectors and cement a dynamic, mutually beneficial relationship between India and Argentina.
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