India, Argentina ‘called to work together’: Envoy
There is “objective complementarity between India and Argentina”, and both are “called to work together”, Argentine Ambassador Mariano Caucino said on Thursday while speaking at the India-Latin America and Caribbean Roundtable at the India International Centre.
The Argentine envoy said that links between Delhi and Buenos Aires “are based on common interests, shared values and an elevated degree of economic complementarity”.
Caucino affirmed that “India is growing so much that it has already become Argentina’s sixth largest partner” and assured that “although we are very far-away countries, we are destined to continue collaborating for our mutual benefit.”
“The political and diplomatic establishment in our countries are taking into account the strategic importance of India in the world today, having become one of the first five global economies and the world’s fastest economy,” the envoy emphasised.
“Asia and the Indo-Pacific are becoming more and more important in today’s world to the extent that we always have to remember that in this part of the world lives sixty per cent of the whole humanity,” he added.
“Argentina is today India’s main provider in terms of edible oils, contributing to India’s food security”, Caucino stated.
The Argentine envoy reminded that India’s goal of becoming a fully developed nation by 2047 “needs investment, opening and more deregulation, as Prime Minister Modi has stated frequently and in that sense more cooperation with our countries is key”.
Ambassador Caucino recalled that “In 2009, Argentina opened a General Consulate in the thriving city of Mumbai, India’s Economic and Financial capital and in 2019, Argentina and India elevated its relationship to the degree of strategic partnership. That same year, we opened the Agriculture Attache office in Delhi, under the leadership of agribusiness expert Mariano Beheran, having achieved remarkable goals, to the extent that Argentina became India’s number one provider of edible oils.”
Argentina mainly exports soybean oil, sunflower oil, legumes, hides and recently critical minerals such as lithium and copper, sectors that have gained importance due to the energy transition and Indian industrial needs. For its part, India exports pharmaceuticals, chemicals, machinery, motorcycles, auto parts and industrial manufactures to Argentina.
The Argentine Ambassador reaffirmed that “both countries share common values regarding democracy, freedom and respect for human dignity. At the same time, both countries are pursuing a path of development with basis in a common understanding of the benefits of free markets and limited Governments.”
“As Prime Minister Modi said recently, we agree with the idea that governments should keep the minimum interference with private initiative while having to provide maximum support to those in need,” Caucino said.
Caucino added that “Prime Minister Modiji’s visit to Argentina in July 2025 marked a milestone in our relationship. For the first time in 57 years, an Indian head of government made a bilateral visit to Argentina”.
“Recent years have also marked a significant milestone for the investment of Indian mining companies in our country. The Catamarca province is home to Indian companies that are not only exploring for lithium but are also showing interest in copper and gold”, the ambassador said.
“These investments are particularly important as India moves forward with the development of its electric vehicles (EVs), aiming to ensure a resilient and diversified supply chain for critical minerals essential for various industries in India”.
With regard to the energy and minerals sector, the strengthening established through various institutional and business visits that have taken place in recent years is noteworthy, he noted.
