Central American countries hail India's proactive role in fostering global South-South cooperation

IANS June 19, 2025 262 views

India continues to enhance its global influence by fostering South-South cooperation, as praised by Central American countries during a virtual dialogue with SICA. Led by Rajesh Vaishnaw, India's efforts in digital transformation, disaster resilience, and healthcare were highlighted. SICA representatives, including Alejandro Solano, acknowledged India's support during crises like the Covid pandemic. This cooperation aims to deepen political dialogue and regional development in key areas such as agriculture, trade, and energy.

"The India SICA relationship is built on a strong foundation of mutual respect." - MEA Statement
New Delhi, June 19: Representatives from Central American Integration System (SICA) member countries appreciated India's proactive role in fostering global South-South cooperation during a virtual dialogue held on India-SICA cooperation, on Wednesday.

Key Points

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India praised for proactive South-South cooperation

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Dialogue led by Rajesh Vaishnaw and Alejandro Solano

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Focus on digital transformation and disaster resilience

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SICA thanks India for pandemic support

The Indian side was led by Rajesh Vaishnaw, Additional Secretary at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) while SICA was represented at the Virtual Dialogue by the Vice Minister of Multilateral Affairs of the Republic of Costa Rica, Alejandro Solano; Director of International Cooperation of the SICA Secretariat, Carmen Marroquin and senior officials and representatives of other member countries.

The current Pro-Tempore Presidency of SICA lies with Costa Rica and will be handed over to Panama later this year.

"Additional Secretary, in his intervention, underlined that the India SICA relationship is built on a strong foundation of mutual respect, shared values of democracy and sustainable development, and strong commitment to South-South cooperation. India has actively supported a number of initiatives in this region through its development cooperation programmes, including the ITEC capacity-building platform, Quick Impact Projects (QIPs), and the dedicated SME grant programme," read a MEA statement issued on Thursday.

The Additional Secretary also highlighted India's success in digital transformation; affordable healthcare and medicines; disaster resilience and renewable energy, stating that India is willing to cooperate further in these areas with the SICA member countries for shared prosperity and sustainable development.

"The representatives from SICA Secretariat and the SICA Member countries appreciated India's proactive role in fostering global South-South cooperation. They mentioned that the India SICA cooperation will deepen further through sustained political dialogue and regional cooperation initiatives," the statement detailed.

Main areas of cooperation identified during the meeting included food and nutritional security; health; connectivity; agriculture; digital transformation; energy; and, trade and investment.

The representatives from SICA also thanked India for its support in times of need such as the Covid pandemic and other natural disasters affecting the region.

Reader Comments

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Priya K.
This is the India we're proud of! 🇮🇳 Sharing our digital transformation expertise with developing nations shows true leadership. Our ITEC program has trained so many professionals globally. More power to such South-South cooperation!
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Rahul S.
While I appreciate India's global outreach, shouldn't we focus more on our immediate neighbors first? Countries like Nepal and Bangladesh could benefit more from our digital initiatives before Central America.
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Ananya M.
Our affordable healthcare model is world-class! So happy to see India sharing this knowledge. The Jan Aushadhi scheme could be revolutionary for developing nations. More such collaborations please!
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Vikram J.
As someone who has worked in Central America, I can say our SME grant program is making real impact there. But we need better publicity about these efforts - most Indians don't even know about them!
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Sunita P.
Good initiative but implementation is key. Hope we're not just giving away resources without proper monitoring. Our own villages still need development - balance is important.
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Arjun D.
This is soft power at its best! When we help others develop, we create lasting friendships and potential trade partners. The focus on renewable energy cooperation is especially smart for the future. 👏

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Tags:
India SICA cooperation South-South cooperation Rajesh Vaishnaw Alejandro Solano Central America