MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Timerman arrives in India for a four-day visit to promote closer relations

The Argentine minister heads a 20-member delegation

Argentine Foreign Minister Hector Timerman begins Saturday a four-day visit to India to co-chair, along with Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, the fourth India- Argentina Joint Commission Meeting (JCM).

Timerman will arrive accompanied by a 20-member delegation of senior officials from the Argentine Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Economy and Foreign Trade and Agriculture.

During the Joint Commission Meeting on June 17, the two sides will review progress on the entire range of India-Argentina bilateral relations including political, economic and commercial, agriculture, science and technology, defence and cultural issues and identify newer areas of cooperation. They will also exchange views on regional developments and global issues of common interest.

The last visit to India at the level of Foreign Minister from Argentina was in 2006 and India’s External Affairs Minister visited Argentina in February 2013. President Cristina Fernandez visited India in October 2009.

India and Argentina enjoy warm and friendly relations based on shared values of democracy, rule of law and inclusive growth.

The two countries maintain close understanding on several multilateral issues. Argentina, a member of G-20, is presently also holding non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council for the years 2013-14. Indo-Argentina trade turnover for the year 2012 was 2 billion dollars.