The Fourth Meeting of the India–Argentina Joint Trade Committee was held on August 24, 2026. The meeting aimed to deepen the strategic and economic partnership between the two countries.
On August 24, 2026, the Fourth Meeting of the India–Argentina Joint Trade Committee (JTC) was held at Palacio San Martín, Buenos Aires. The Indian delegation was led by Commerce Secretary Shri Rajesh Agrawal, while the Argentine delegation was headed by Ambassador Fernando Brun, Secretary for International Economic Relations. During the meeting, both sides reviewed the progress on the roadmap agreed during Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s visit to Argentina in 2025 and reaffirmed their commitment to further deepening the strategic and economic partnership between the two countries.
Bilateral trade between India and Argentina reached USD 6.5 billion in 2025, registering an annual growth of over 17 percent. Argentina is now India’s fifth-largest trading partner, indicating significant potential for further expansion and diversification of the bilateral trade basket. The Argentine government's efforts to facilitate foreign trade, reduce non-tariff barriers, and promote investment are expected to support greater participation by Indian companies in the Argentine market.
Discussions also focused on investment opportunities across mining, energy, and infrastructure, including the continued engagement of India’s KABIL in Argentina’s lithium sector. KABIL’s mining activities in Catamarca, the first lithium mining initiative by an Indian company in Argentina, have progressed significantly with the completion of Phase II drilling. Opportunities for further engagement in the provinces of Salta and Jujuy are also being explored to deepen the strategic partnership between the two countries.
In addition, both sides emphasized the importance of ensuring greater reciprocity and a more balanced framework of opportunities for businesses as the economic partnership expands. Technical-level discussions on sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures are advancing for Indian onions, milk and milk products, grapes, potatoes, bananas, and pulses, marking an important step towards their market access. These developments are expected to create greater opportunities for Indian farmers and exporters, strengthen bilateral agricultural trade, and contribute to India’s broader objective of achieving Viksit Bharat 2047.
Significant progress was also made in facilitating market access for Indian pharmaceutical products. Argentina has committed to work towards upgrading India from Annex II to Annex I under its pharmaceutical regulatory framework and reducing barriers to entry. This is expected to provide greater opportunities for Indian pharmaceutical companies and contribute to improving access to quality and affordable healthcare in Argentina.
The discussions also identified emerging areas of cooperation, including aviation, space technology, telecommunications, and digital services. These areas offer further opportunities for both countries, particularly in 5G, artificial intelligence, and digital infrastructure.
Source:
Press Information Bureau
