MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Indian president begins strategic tour of Latam countries

India's President Pratibha Patil left on Saturday for a Latinamerican tour of Brazil, Mexico and Chile with the purpose of strengthening trade, investment and political ties with the region.

President Patil's visit to Brazil is particularly significant as India has a strategic partnership with Brasilia. The two countries which have fluid contacts with G-8 over global trade issues are working together in IBSA, a trilateral developmental initiative between India, Brazil and South Africa. Patil is scheduled to meet Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Mexican President Felipe de Jesus Calderon Hinojosa and Chile's President Michelle Bachelet during her 12-day visit. Nalin Surie, secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs pointed out that trade and economic interaction between Latinamerica and India is growing rapidly despite the impediments in the physical connectivity and announced that a number of agreements are expected to be signed during the visit. The Indian cabinet on Friday approved the Air Services Agreements (ASA) with Chile and Mexico. According to the agreements, both countries will have the right to designate as many airlines as they wish to fly to India, and vice versa. "India also has a preferential trade arrangement with Chile and our trade and economic relations are growing rapidly" Surie told reporters Friday. "The president's visit to Latin America will cover three of our important partners in the region. All three are flourishing democracies, developing countries and countries with which our interaction is growing rapidly" added Surie. Patil, the first woman president of India begins her official visit to Brazil in Sao Paulo, where she arrives Tuesday and will later travel to Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia. Patil flies then to Mexico for four days during which she will visit Mexico City and Guadalajara province. The two day visit to Chile begins April 20. Surie pointed out that India's trade and economic ties with the three countries were growing rapidly and currently trade with Brazil stands at 3.2 billion US dollars; with Mexico, 2 billion and 2.4 billion with Chile. New Delhi trade targets for 2010 are 10 billion with Brazil and 5 billion with Mexico.