India to maintain ties with Latin America and Caribbean region

With the arrival of the Indian president in Suriname, the Asian superpower has planted a seed that must grow into a strong tie with all of the countries in the region. India does not plan on letting its presence in Latin America and the Caribbean region fade away. President Ram Nath Kovind who is currently in Suriname will also visit Cuba. India is stepping up engagement with the 33-country Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region, which is vital to its oil imports and also offers a huge market for Indian products and services. President Ram Nath Kovind will visit Suriname and Cuba from June 19 to 24 and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to travel to the region later this year when Argentina hosts the G20 summit. To build ties with the region becoming increasingly important for its foreign policy objectives, New Delhi was pushing for high-level contact that has been missing, officials said on Monday. The first big push came in May when M Venkaiah Naidu chose Guatemala, Panama and Peru for his first foreign visit as the vice president. This was the first high-level Indian visit to the two countries in 50 years of diplomatic ties. “The vice president had already visited three countries in Latin America. Minister of State VK Singh also visited a couple of countries in Latin America, now the president is going to visit Suriname and Cuba and thereafter, the momentum of visits at the high level to Latin America will be sustained till the end of the year,” said Partha Satpathy, who is joint secretary (LAC) at the Ministry of External Affairs. The government is also drawing up a plan under which Indian leaders would head to countries rarely visited at high level, an official said. Modi, who has been to Brazil and Mexico, will visit other countries in the region when he goes to Argentina, the official said. PM Modi is also expected to visit Suriname and Guyana. According to Hindustan Times, the LAC accounts for around 20% of India’s oil imports. Experts feel trade, which has been growing, could bring India close to the region.