K'taka govt proposes Bengaluru-Lima 'Sister-City Pact' to boost India-Peru trade to $10 billion
Bengaluru, June 29
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister, G. Parameshwara, on Monday proposed a historic Sister City agreement between Bengaluru and Lima, the capital of Peru, saying the initiative would strengthen bilateral ties and pave the way for expanding India-Peru trade to $10 billion.
Speaking at a high-level diplomatic event organised in Bengaluru to commemorate the 205th Independence Day of the Republic of Peru and mark 63 years of diplomatic relations between India and Peru, Dr. Parameshwara said the Karnataka government is keen to establish a Sister-City partnership between Bengaluru and one of Peru's key cities, preferably its capital Lima.
He said such an agreement would deepen cooperation between the two regions and create new opportunities for collaboration in trade, education and healthcare.
"The Karnataka government is eager to establish a historic Sister City agreement between Bengaluru and Lima to further strengthen our relationship with the Republic of Peru. This partnership will facilitate direct institutional cooperation and enhance exchanges in several sectors," he said.
Recalling the historical ties between the two nations, the Deputy Chief Minister noted the similarities between Peru's Latin American liberation movements and India's freedom struggle led by Mahatma Gandhi.
Highlighting Karnataka's economic strengths, Parameshwara said the state continues to lead India in the information technology and biotechnology sectors.
"Karnataka contributes over 40 per cent of India's IT software development and biotechnology production, making it the country's leading state in these sectors. The overwhelming success of the recent Global Investors Meet and the massive investments attracted during the summit further demonstrate Karnataka's growing economic potential," he said.
Expressing confidence in the proposed partnership, he said the Sister-City agreement would significantly strengthen institutional cooperation between Bengaluru and Peru in trade, education and healthcare, while serving as a stepping stone towards achieving USD 10 billion in bilateral trade between the two countries.
The event was attended by Peru's Ambassador Javier Manuel Paulinich Velarde, Peru's Honorary Consul in Bengaluru Vikram Viswanath, senior government officials, diplomats from various countries and leading business leaders from Bengaluru.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Interesting to see Karnataka thinking beyond traditional partners like US and Europe. Latin America is an under-tapped market for India. But I hope the government also focuses on local issues—infrastructure, traffic, water crisis in Bengaluru. Sister cities are nice, but basic amenities first please.
As someone who works in IT in Bengaluru, I can see real synergies here. Peru has a growing tech scene too, and our startups could collaborate. But $10 billion trade? That's a huge leap from current ~$3 billion. Let's start with realistic targets and build momentum. Baby steps!
Love the idea of cultural exchange! Peru has Machu Picchu, we have Hampi. Both are UNESCO sites. Maybe we can learn from their sustainable tourism models. But I wish the announcement had more concrete details—specific sectors, timelines, MOUs signed. Feels like a photo op right now.
Honestly, why Lima? Why not Arequipa or Cusco? But anyway, good to see Karnataka taking initiative in foreign policy. Deputy CM Parameshwara is right about historical parallels—both India and Peru fought colonialism. Now let's fight poverty and inequality together! 💪
A pragmatic perspective: Sister city pacts often sound nice but yield limited results unless backed by strong business delegations and follow-up. Remember our 'Act East' policy? Lots of MOUs, less action. Let's hope this one has teeth. Also, Peru can teach us about quinoa farming—great for Indian agriculture!
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.