New York: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar co-chaired the India-CELAC Expanded Troika Meeting with Uruguay’s Foreign Minister Mario Lubetkin on Tuesday on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Saint Lucia’s Foreign Minister Alva Baptiste also outlined his country’s roles within the Troika.
The India-CELAC Foreign Ministers’ Meeting saw strong participation, with 30 of the 33 CELAC member states taking part. The gathering included 16 Foreign Ministers and five Vice Ministers, reflecting broad regional participation in the India-CELAC dialogue.
Foreign Ministers from Uruguay, Saint Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela participated in the meeting, among others.
Participants welcomed the landmark $50 billion trade milestone, while noting the scope for further expansion in economic ties. Discussions focused on strengthening India-CELAC cooperation, expanding trade and development partnerships and addressing global challenges through multilateralism.
Both sides underscored the importance of deeper political dialogue, economic cooperation and people-to-people exchanges. They also agreed to work towards establishing an institutional mechanism for periodic review of engagements, aimed at giving greater continuity to the partnership.
CELAC members also appreciated India’s swift humanitarian assistance to Jamaica, Venezuela and Colombia following earthquakes in 2025 and 2026.
India reaffirmed its commitment to expanding cooperation with CELAC countries across a wide range of sectors, including trade, climate action, renewable energy, digital transformation, health, food security, critical minerals, infrastructure, space, agriculture, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), and capacity building.
The meeting highlighted the expanding scope of India’s engagement with Latin America and the Caribbean, with both sides expressing a desire to take the relationship to a higher level.
The discussions at the UNGA sidelines also underscored the growing importance of India-CELAC cooperation amid a changing global economic and geopolitical landscape, with both sides seeking greater collaboration for mutual benefit.
NEW YORK, September 22: India and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) have agreed to deepen cooperation across trade, development, climate action, digital transformation, health, food security and critical minerals, as bilateral trade between India and the region reached $50 billion in 2025-26, Ministry of External Affairs stated in a statement.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar co-chaired the India-CELAC Expanded Troika Meeting with Uruguay’s Foreign Minister Mario Lubetkin on Tuesday on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Saint Lucia’s Foreign Minister Alva Baptiste also outlined his country’s roles within the Troika.
The India-CELAC Foreign Ministers’ Meeting saw strong participation, with 30 of the 33 CELAC member states taking part. The gathering included 16 Foreign Ministers and five Vice Ministers, reflecting broad regional participation in the India-CELAC dialogue.
Foreign Ministers from Uruguay, Saint Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela participated in the meeting, among others.
Participants welcomed the landmark $50 billion trade milestone, while noting the scope for further expansion in economic ties. Discussions focused on strengthening India-CELAC cooperation, expanding trade and development partnerships and addressing global challenges through multilateralism.
Both sides underscored the importance of deeper political dialogue, economic cooperation and people-to-people exchanges. They also agreed to work towards establishing an institutional mechanism for periodic review of engagements, aimed at giving greater continuity to the partnership.
CELAC members also appreciated India’s swift humanitarian assistance to Jamaica, Venezuela and Colombia following earthquakes in 2025 and 2026.
India reaffirmed its commitment to expanding cooperation with CELAC countries across a wide range of sectors, including trade, climate action, renewable energy, digital transformation, health, food security, critical minerals, infrastructure, space, agriculture, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), and capacity building.
The meeting highlighted the expanding scope of India’s engagement with Latin America and the Caribbean, with both sides expressing a desire to take the relationship to a higher level, the MEA said.
The discussions at the UNGA sidelines also underscored the growing importance of India-CELAC cooperation amid a changing global economic and geopolitical landscape, with both sides seeking greater collaboration for mutual benefit.
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