As the COVID-19 crisis subsides, Delhi is bracing for a number of high profile visits, particularly from Latin America. Colombian President Ivan Duque Marquez and Mexican Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard will visit India in a few weeks. The visit comes as the two sides have cemented their relationship.
As far as Colombia is concerned, energy will be a key area of discussion. ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) is the only Indian state-owned company in the South American country involved in both oil exploration and production.
The two countries have also had space collaboration. In November 2018, ISRO launched the Colombian Air Force’s FACSAT 1 satellite on the PSLV-C43/HysIS mission. It was the Colombian Air Force’s very first nano-satellite.
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Colombian Vice President Marta Lucía Ramírez was visiting India last year. During an exclusive interview with WION at that time, Vice President Ramírez said she viewed the Indo-Pacific as a region with “many opportunities for growth and wealth creation”, even though she had highlighted the connection with the Pacific Alliance – a bloc of Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru.
Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard’s visit will focus on consultations at the United Nations Security Council. India and Mexico are both non-permanent members of the Security Council. Last year, India’s foreign minister, Dr S Jaishankar, visited Mexico, the first such visit by an Indian foreign minister to the country in more than 40 years.
With the easing of coronavirus restrictions, Delhi is expected to see more diplomatic engagements. Japan’s new Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will visit India next weekend. Last year, the Danish prime minister and the Russian president visited Delhi, the first such visit to India amid the COVID-19 crisis for many months. Delhi has been a busy capital in terms of incoming visits in pre-covid times.
