The head of Indian diplomacy told the meeting that in recent years there have been 37 major visits from the region, seven by presidents, five by vice presidents and prime ministers, 15 by foreign ministers and 10 by other dignitaries.

He pointed out that the region has many reasons for greater interaction with India and among his arguments he stated that current trade is more than 50 billion dollars annually and compared it with four major trade accounts, the United States, China, the European Union and ASEAN, which are between 100 and 115 billion.

He commented on India’s demand for natural resources and agricultural products, as well as the needs in Latin America and the Caribbean for two-wheelers, automobiles and pharmaceuticals, whose imports from India are booming.

Information technology companies, he said, employ more than 100,000 people in Latin America and the subcontinent. Argentina especially is one of the most important sources of edible oil for India.

Jaishankar explained that there is a convergence with many Latin American countries regarding the major current issues and expressed that in the forum of the strongest economies of the G20 India is on the same wavelength with Mexico, Brazil and Argentina.

On the big issues of the day at the UN, the G20 and the meetings on climate change, Latin American and Caribbean countries have aspirations, interests and a history very similar to that of India and therefore there is a natural link and a legacy of working together.

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