PM Modi reaches Argentina on third leg of 5-nation tour

After concluding his successful visit to Trinidad & Tobago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Argentina’s capital Beunos Aires this morning on the third leg of his five-nation tour that aims to reinforce India’s engagements with the Global South.

        

Prime Minister Modi will begin his visit to Argentina this evening by paying respects at the statue of General José de San Martín, Argentina’s revered freedom fighter and national hero. Following this, Mr Modi will be accorded a ceremonial welcome.

The Prime Minister will then hold delegation-level talks, followed by a lunch hosted in his honour by President Javier Milei. The Prime Minister is also scheduled to visit the football stadium of the iconic club Boca Juniors in the city.

         

This visit is expected to further strengthen the Strategic Partnership and open new avenues of cooperation. Key areas include trade and investment, health and pharmaceuticals, defense and security, infrastructure, mining and mineral resources, agriculture and food security, green energy, ICT and digital innovation, disaster management, science and technology, education, and people-to-people linkages.

       

Prime Minister Modi is visiting Argentina at the invitation of President Javier Milei. The last meeting between the two leaders took place in November 2024 on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. While the Prime Minister visited Argentina in 2018 to attend the G20 Summit, this marks the first bilateral visit to the country by an Indian Prime Minister in 57 years – making it a historic occasion.

In his departure statement before embarking on the five-nation tour, Prime Minister Modi described Argentina as a key economic partner in Latin America and a close collaborator within the G20 grouping.

          

The Prime Minister’s visit comes at a particularly significant moment, as Argentina is undergoing major economic reforms – in some ways reminiscent of those previously undertaken in India.

          

India and Argentina share cohesive and robust relations across a wide range of sectors, deepened over decades of cooperation. The bilateral ties were elevated to the level



of a Strategic Partnership in 2019, and the two countries celebrated 75 years of diplomatic relations in 2024.

People-to-people connections are also strong, with Indian traditions such as Yoga, Ayurveda, and philosophy enjoying popularity in Argentina.

   

India’s advancements in sectors such as defense manufacturing, space, information technology, and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) could offer valuable opportunities for Argentina. In addition, India’s expertise in telemedicine and digital healthcare solutions presents a promising pathway for Argentina to enhance access to affordable, quality healthcare.

         

Argentina possesses the world’s second-largest shale gas reserves and the fourth-largest shale oil reserves, along with substantial conventional oil and gas deposits. This positions it as a potentially important energy partner for India in the future.

Furthermore, Argentina’s rich deposits of critical minerals – including lithium, copper, and other rare earth elements – complement India’s growing need for secure and sustainable supplies to support its clean energy transition and industrial development.

          

Together with Bolivia and Chile, Argentina forms the so-called ‘Lithium Triangle.’ Lithium is essential for modern technologies, particularly for rechargeable batteries used in electric vehicles, portable electronics, and energy storage systems for renewables.

Toward this end, Indian public sector companies such as Khanij Bidesh India Ltd. and Coal India Ltd. have secured certain concessions in Argentina’s Catamarca province. This partnership is expected to be a key topic during discussions between the two leaders.

         

Following his visit to Argentina, Prime Minister Modi will travel to Brazil to participate in the BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, before proceeding to Namibia – the final stop on his tour.

In the first leg of the five-nation tour, Prime Minister visited Ghana’s Accra which was marked a significant milestone including elevation of ties between two countries to a Comprehensive Partnership, strengthening ties across a broad spectrum of area.