Qutb Minar illuminated in Peru's national colours to mark its 205th Independence Day
New Delhi, July 29
The Qutb Minar in New Delhi was illuminated in the colours of Peru's national flag on Tuesday evening to commemorate the 205th Independence Day of Peru, marking the enduring friendship between India and the South American nation.
Enrique Rafael Descalzi Mendez, Charge d'Affaires a.i. of the Embassy of Peru, attended the illumination ceremony held at the UNESCO World Heritage monument.
The iconic monument was lit up in the red and white colours of the Peruvian flag as part of the celebrations marking Peru's Independence Day, observed annually on July 28.
The illumination served as a symbolic gesture of the cordial ties between India and Peru, highlighting the growing diplomatic and cultural engagement between the two countries.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also congratulated Peru on its 205th anniversary of independence. In an official press statement, titled 'Peru National Day', Rubio said, "On behalf of the United States of America, I offer my congratulations to the people of the Republic of Peru as you celebrate the 205th anniversary of your independence. "
Emphasising the bilateral relations between the US and Peru since 1826, he said, "This year marks 200 years of diplomatic relations between our two countries. Since 1826, our two nations have built a strong partnership grounded in shared democratic values and a commitment to prosperity and security for our peoples."
He also congratulated President Keiko Fujimori on her inauguration. He further emphasised a stronger US-Peru partnership and said, "The Trump Administration looks forward to working closely with the Fujimori Administration to deepen security cooperation and advance trade and investment. We are optimistic about the future of our partnership and confident that the next chapter of US.-Peru relations will be our strongest yet."
According to Al Jazeera, on Tuesday (July 28) Keiko Fujimori was sworn in as Peru's president after narrowly winning an election.
The conservative 51-year-old defeated left-wing rival Roberto Sanchez by fewer than 50,000 votes in June's run-off in her fourth presidential bid.
She becomes Peru's ninth president in a decade, taking office with a promise to restore stability after years of political turmoil that have seen a string of presidents removed, resign or replaced before finishing their terms.
Earlier in July, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended greetings to Conservative politician Keiko Fujimori upon her victory in the Peruvian Presidential elections. He wished Fujimori a successful tenure and looked forward to working closely with her.
In a post on X, PM Modi said, "India deeply values its close friendship with Peru and remains committed to further strengthening our bilateral partnership across diverse sectors. I wish you a successful tenure and look forward to working closely with you to further deepen our ties for the benefit of the people of our nations." Keiko Fujimori was declared the winner of the presidential runoff election in Peru on July 3.
— ANI
Reader Comments
This is a nice soft power move! Illuminating Qutb Minar for Peru's Independence Day shows India's growing global connect. And PM Modi congratulating Keiko Fujimori—good diplomatic gesture. But why is the article also talking about US relations with Peru? Feels like unnecessary padding. Stick to the main story, please.
As someone who follows international diplomacy, this is a smart cultural outreach by India. Peru is a key Latin American nation with rich history. The Qutb Minar illumination is a great photo-op for bilateral ties. Hope this leads to more trade and cultural exchanges! 🎉
Keiko Fujimori winning by just 50,000 votes shows how divided Peru is. And she's the 9th president in 10 years! 😮 That's political chaos. India needs to be careful in engaging with such unstable governments. But the gesture with Qutb Minar is still nice for cultural diplomacy. Just keep our eyes open.
Honestly, I appreciate the sentiment but illuminating a 12th-century heritage site for every country's independence day seems excessive. Last week it was for some other nation, now Peru. Why not use less historically significant monuments? Or at least ensure no damage to the structure from these light setups.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.