Indian Ambassador Sumit Seth bids farewell to Panama President Jose Raul Mulino, discusses scholarships, development projects and bilateral ties
Panama City, August 7
Indian Ambassador to Panama, Costa Rica and Nicaragua Sumit Seth paid a courtesy visit to Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino on Thursday as the ambassador formally concluded his diplomatic mission. The two sides reviewed the developments in bilateral relations and discussed measures to further strengthen cooperation, including expanding scholarship opportunities and implementing development projects.
The Indian Embassy in Panama, Costa Rica and Nicaragua shared details of the meeting in a post on X, stating, "India Panama || Hasta Luego, Senor President || Ambassador @doctorsumitseth met Hon'ble President of Panama H.E. Mr. Jose Raul Mulino @JoseRaulMulino for a Farewell Call-on Meeting and conveyed greetings of Hon'ble President @rashtrapatibhvn and Hon'ble Prime Minister @narendramodi."
According to the embassy, Ambassador Seth conveyed greetings from President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to President Mulino during the farewell meeting.
The embassy said the discussions focused on the recent visit of Panama's Foreign Minister to India, increasing scholarship slots for Panamanian students, implementation of Quick Impact Projects, and exploring ideas to further boost the bilateral relationship.
The meeting comes amid growing engagement between India and Panama across trade, education, development cooperation and maritime affairs.
Panama's Foreign Minister Javier Eduardo Martinez-Acha Vasquez visited India last month, during which he held delegation-level talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. Jaishankar described Panama as a natural gateway to Latin America and highlighted the country's strategic location and logistics infrastructure anchored by the Panama Canal. The two sides discussed expanding cooperation in trade, business, maritime affairs, health, agriculture, education, digital technologies and multilateral engagement.
During the visit, Vasquez also spoke to ANI, where he pitched Panama as India's strategic partner and gateway to Latin America for manufacturing, logistics and investment. He invited Indian companies to establish manufacturing and distribution facilities in Panama to access Central America, the Caribbean and South American markets, describing the country as a stable economy with world-class logistics infrastructure centred around the Panama Canal.
The Panamanian Foreign Minister also expressed concern over the impact of the West Asia crisis on global energy markets and maritime trade, warning that disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz could affect oil prices and international supply chains. He said Panama, home to one of the world's largest shipping registries, remained committed to safeguarding freedom of navigation, maritime security and adherence to international maritime law.
He urged India to join the Panama Canal Neutrality Treaty, saying New Delhi could play an important role in supporting the canal's neutrality alongside other democratic partners. He stressed that Panama seeks to deepen diplomatic, commercial and educational cooperation with India while preserving the canal as a neutral global asset serving international trade.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Interesting to see India's growing diplomatic reach. The Panama Canal neutrality treaty invitation is significant geopolitically. It would give India a voice in international maritime affairs, which is crucial for a country that depends heavily on sea trade. Hope our foreign policy keeps prioritizing such smart alliances.
India's soft power through education is our best export! More scholarships for Panamanian students means future leaders who will remember India fondly. This is how we build lasting relationships. Shubhkamnayein to Ambassador Seth for a successful tenure! 🙏
Well done on strengthening ties with Panama. But I hope we're not just saying nice things and doing photo-ops. We need concrete outcomes — actual Indian companies setting up manufacturing there, real trade numbers going up. The whole "gateway to Latin America" pitch is great, but we need follow-through on the ground. What's the timeline for those Quick Impact Projects?
The strategic importance of Panama can't be overstated. As someone who's worked in logistics, the Panama Canal is the lifeline of global trade. India joining the Neutrality Treaty makes sense — we need more friends who support free navigation, especially with rising tensions in the Middle East. Good move by our diplomats.
So proud of India's expanding global presence! From the Panama Canal to the Pacific Islands, we're truly going global. The emphasis on education and digital tech collaboration is exactly what developing nations need. Let's hope this translates into better opportunities for Indian professionals in Latin America too!
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