The Minister of Foreign Affairs of India, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, highlighted this Monday in Asunción the beginning of a “new era” in the relationship with Paraguay, in the first official visit of a diplomatic official of his rank to the country in 60 years of ties. common diplomats.
Source: EFE
Jaishankar met with his Paraguayan counterpart, Julio César Arriola, at the Foreign Ministry headquarters, and later went to the López Palace (seat of government), where he was received by the President of the Republic, Mario Abdo Benítez.
“I can say with confidence that we are inaugurating a new era in our ties,” declared the Foreign Minister, in an appearance before the press after the private and extended meetings held by his colleague host.
The official, who will lead the official inauguration of the Embassy of India in Paraguay on this day, described the talks with Arriola as “very productive”.
Among other things, he assured that they discussed the bilateral relationship, trade, investment, growth prospects and partnership for development.
In addition, he gave an account of the exchange they had on “the state of the world” and highlighted the commitment shared by both countries with an “order based on rules, a world that respects international law, that respects agreements” and that “supports multilateralism ”.
“Both the official visit of the Indian minister and the opening of his embassy open a new and auspicious stage in our diplomatic relations,” Arriola said in his statement.
For the head of Paraguayan diplomacy, Jaishankar’s visit reflects the political will of their governments to strengthen their ties and the desire “to explore new areas to expand cooperation and trade.”
“I want to emphasize that Paraguay is beginning to look at the Pacific as a strategic outlet for our trade and to reach new markets, in particular the emerging economies of the Asia-Pacific,” added the official.
In this context, he mentioned the bi-oceanic corridor – a regional highway under construction that will link the Atlantic and Pacific oceans – as a “key work” that “will create the conditions for greater dynamism” in economic and commercial exchange.
The Indian minister, who started the day with the placement of a floral offering at the Panteón de los Héroes, will meet this Monday with the president of the Paraguayan Industrial Union (UIP), Enrique Duarte.
At the end of the day, he will attend the formal opening of his country’s diplomatic mission, which began operations last January.
Jaishankar arrived on Paraguayan soil this Sunday and participated hours after an act in which a bust in honor of Mahatma Gandhi was unveiled.
He also visited the House of Independence and the Museum of Fine Arts.
According to the official agenda, the foreign minister will end his visit this Tuesday.
The diplomatic representative’s trip includes stops in Argentina and Brazil, detailed a statement released on Twitter by the Embassy of India in Asunción and dated New Delhi.
