A New Axis of Multipolarity: Agreements and Shared Principles of India and LATAM’s Largest Economies
India’s engagement with Latin America is quietly transforming into one of the most compelling diplomatic developments of the emerging multipolar era. Once driven primarily by the flow of commodities and manufactured goods, the relationship has broadened into a structured political dialogue supported by formal agreements, shared developmental priorities, and convergent positions on global governance. Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Chile—Latin America’s largest economies—have become central to India’s Western Hemisphere diplomacy. Their growing alignment with India is not accidental: it reflects a deeper shift in which major developing countries are recalibrating their external partnerships and asserting a more autonomous path in a complex geopolitical environment.
Today, India and Latin America are building a cooperative axis rooted in economic complementarity, technological partnerships, and a joint aspiration to make global institutions more equitable. This evolution represents more than an incremental expansion of ties. It signals the emergence of a coordinated Global South voice capable of shaping debates on reform, sustainability, and conflict diplomacy.
Today, India and Latin America are building a cooperative axis rooted in economic complementarity, technological partnerships, and a joint aspiration to make global institutions more equitable. This evolution represents more than an incremental expansion of ties. It signals the emergence of a coordinated Global South voice capable of shaping debates on reform, sustainability, and conflict diplomacy.
Section 1: The Foundation of Cooperation – Key Agreements and Memoranda
1.1 India–Brazil: A BRICS Partnership Anchored in Bioenergy, Space, and Innovation
Brazil stands out as India’s most strategically aligned partner in the region, reinforced by shared membership in BRICS and cooperation across a range of advanced sectors.
Bioenergy and Ethanol: India and Brazil maintain formal agreements on biofuels, particularly ethanol blending technologies. These frameworks support India’s domestic energy transition and build upon Brazil’s recognized global leadership in bioenergy.
Space Cooperation: The partnership between ISRO and the Brazilian Space Agency (AEB) is supported by multiple cooperation agreements covering satellite tracking, Earth observation, and data sharing. The joint work culminating in the Indian launch of Brazil’s Amazonia-1 satellite illustrates how this cooperation translates into tangible outcomes.
Investment and Sectoral Dialogue: India and Brazil operate a Joint Commission mechanism that oversees cooperation in agriculture, health, science, and investment protection. This mechanism ensures continuity, scientific collaboration, and a predictable environment for private-sector engagement.
These frameworks form a resilient institutional base that aligns well with ongoing BRICS cooperation, especially in renewable energy, agro-technology, and digital innovation.
1.2 India–Mexico: Health Security, Energy Cooperation, and Expanding Academic Linkages
Mexico is India’s most comprehensive partner in North America outside the United States. The relationship is layered through cooperation agreements across strategic sectors:
Healthcare and Vaccines: Indian pharmaceutical firms maintain documented cooperation with Mexican health agencies through MoUs and supply agreements. The partnership gained relevance during the global pandemic, highlighting India’s role as a reliable supplier of essential medicines.
Energy Dialogue: Cooperation between PEMEX and Indian energy companies includes long-standing arrangements for crude supply and discussions on upstream opportunities. Official releases and bilateral visits confirm the strategic value of this engagement.
Education and Cultural Exchange: MoUs between universities and cultural institutions support academic mobility, language learning, and research collaboration. These initiatives strengthen societal links and create long-term familiarity between the two regions.
India–Mexico relations thus extend well beyond trade, shaping a robust architecture for future technological and scientific cooperation.
1.3 India–Argentina and India–Chile: Critical Minerals, Agriculture, and Strategic Commodities
The Southern Cone is indispensable for India’s energy and food security:
Lithium Cooperation with Argentina: India’s state-owned KABIL (Khanij Bidesh India Ltd) has signed agreements with provincial authorities in Argentina for lithium exploration and development. These partnerships support India’s ambitions in electric mobility and clean energy storage.
Chile’s Strategic Role: Chile is a global leader in lithium production. India and Chile maintain an institutional framework through their Joint Commission for cooperation on critical minerals, mining technologies, and potential supply partnerships.
Agriculture and Food Security: India has established MoUs and working groups with both Argentina and Chile on plant health, food safety, and agri-technology. This supports India’s large-scale import requirements for edible oils, fruits, and pulses, while providing reliable markets for Latin American producers.
These agreements illustrate how economic complementarity forms the backbone of India’s engagement with the Southern Cone, particularly as global supply chains face new uncertainties.
Section 2: Analysis of Positions on Key Global Issues
2.1 Reforming Multilateral Governance
India has long championed the reform of the United Nations Security Council, arguing that the current structure does not reflect contemporary geopolitical realities. Brazil shares this aspiration and has consistently positioned itself as a candidate for permanent membership.
Mexico and Argentina approach the issue through the lens of strengthening multilateralism rather than expanding permanent membership, but their underlying principles align closely with India’s agenda:
· Increasing the representation of developing countries
· Strengthening multilateral decision-making
· Promoting fairness in global governance institutions
This shared outlook is evident across UN debates, G20 discussions, and BRICS dialogues, where the Global South collectively argues for more equitable structures.
2.2 Climate Responsibility and Developmental Equity
India’s climate diplomacy emphasizes common but differentiated responsibilities, the right to carbon space, and access to climate finance and green technologies. India is also a founding champion of the International Solar Alliance, which many Latin American countries support.
Latin American nations bring substantial ecological weight to global climate negotiations. Brazil’s stewardship of the Amazon, Chile’s renewable capabilities, Argentina’s agricultural ecosystem, and Mexico’s climate adaptation strategies all position the region as a central voice on sustainability.
India and Latin America converge on:
· Climate equity
· Support for renewable energy diffusion
· Expanded climate finance
· Technology access for developing countries
This shared agenda strengthens their position in global climate forums and reinforces their roles as advocates for sustainable development that does not compromise economic growth.
2.3 Food and Energy Security: Natural Complementarity
India is one of the world’s largest consumers of food, energy, and fertilizers, while Latin America is one of the world’s major exporters of all three categories. This creates a natural and reliable partnership.
Latin America’s agricultural strength—in soy, pulses, fruits, edible oils, and grains—supports India’s food security. Similarly, the region’s hydrocarbon exports complement India’s need to diversify energy suppliers.
Global disruptions in recent years have reinforced the importance of diversified supply chains, and Latin America offers India stability, geographic diversification, and long-term partnership potential.
2.4 Convergence on Global Conflicts: The Ukraine Example
India’s balanced approach to the Ukraine conflict—advocating dialogue, rejecting unilateral sanctions, and highlighting humanitarian consequences—finds strong resonance across Latin America. Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina have all adopted similar positions rooted in strategic autonomy and multilateral diplomacy.
This convergence reflects a deeper shared principle:
· Foreign policy grounded in independence
· Refusal to align with great-power blocs under external pressure
· Commitment to negotiated solutions
Such alignment demonstrates common philosophical ground in managing crises and great-power tensions.
Conclusion: Strategic Convergence in an Era of Change
India and Latin America’s largest economies are building a partnership that is broader, deeper, and more strategically aligned than at any point in their diplomatic history. Economic agreements provide the base, but it is the shared perspective on global governance, climate justice, conflict diplomacy, and development rights that gives the relationship its long-term direction.
This emerging axis of multipolarity is not driven by ideology but by pragmatic cooperation, shared experiences as developing economies, and a common determination to reshape the contours of global governance. As BRICS expands and the G20 continues to evolve, India and Latin America are positioned to strengthen coordination, promote equitable reform, and advance a collaborative vision for a more representative international order.
Sources:
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India
https://mea.gov.in/bilateral-documents.htm
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Brazil
https://www.gov.br/mre/en
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
https://www.isro.gov.in
Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores (SRE), Government of Mexico
https://www.gob.mx/sre
Embassy of India in Mexico City
https://www.indianembassy.org.mx
KABIL – Khanij Bidesh India Ltd.
https://kabilindia.in
Ministry of Mining, Government of Argentina
https://www.argentina.gob.ar/mineria
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Chile (MINREL)
https://minrel.gob.cl
United Nations General Debate (UNGA)
https://gadebate.un.org
BRICS Summit Declarations
https://brics2024.gov.in
G20 Leaders’ Declarations
https://www.g20.org
UNFCCC – United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
https://unfccc.int
International Solar Alliance (ISA)
https://isolaralliance.org
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
https://www.fao.org
International Energy Agency (IEA)
https://www.iea.org
United Nations General Assembly Voting Records
https://www.un.org/en/ga
Foreign Ministries
India — https://mea.gov.in
Brazil — https://www.gov.br/mre/en
Mexico — https://www.gob.mx/sre
Argentina — https://www.cancilleria.gob.ar
1.1 India–Brazil: A BRICS Partnership Anchored in Bioenergy, Space, and Innovation
Brazil stands out as India’s most strategically aligned partner in the region, reinforced by shared membership in BRICS and cooperation across a range of advanced sectors.
Bioenergy and Ethanol: India and Brazil maintain formal agreements on biofuels, particularly ethanol blending technologies. These frameworks support India’s domestic energy transition and build upon Brazil’s recognized global leadership in bioenergy.
Space Cooperation: The partnership between ISRO and the Brazilian Space Agency (AEB) is supported by multiple cooperation agreements covering satellite tracking, Earth observation, and data sharing. The joint work culminating in the Indian launch of Brazil’s Amazonia-1 satellite illustrates how this cooperation translates into tangible outcomes.
Investment and Sectoral Dialogue: India and Brazil operate a Joint Commission mechanism that oversees cooperation in agriculture, health, science, and investment protection. This mechanism ensures continuity, scientific collaboration, and a predictable environment for private-sector engagement.
These frameworks form a resilient institutional base that aligns well with ongoing BRICS cooperation, especially in renewable energy, agro-technology, and digital innovation.
1.2 India–Mexico: Health Security, Energy Cooperation, and Expanding Academic Linkages
Mexico is India’s most comprehensive partner in North America outside the United States. The relationship is layered through cooperation agreements across strategic sectors:
Healthcare and Vaccines: Indian pharmaceutical firms maintain documented cooperation with Mexican health agencies through MoUs and supply agreements. The partnership gained relevance during the global pandemic, highlighting India’s role as a reliable supplier of essential medicines.
Energy Dialogue: Cooperation between PEMEX and Indian energy companies includes long-standing arrangements for crude supply and discussions on upstream opportunities. Official releases and bilateral visits confirm the strategic value of this engagement.
Education and Cultural Exchange: MoUs between universities and cultural institutions support academic mobility, language learning, and research collaboration. These initiatives strengthen societal links and create long-term familiarity between the two regions.
India–Mexico relations thus extend well beyond trade, shaping a robust architecture for future technological and scientific cooperation.
1.3 India–Argentina and India–Chile: Critical Minerals, Agriculture, and Strategic Commodities
The Southern Cone is indispensable for India’s energy and food security:
Lithium Cooperation with Argentina: India’s state-owned KABIL (Khanij Bidesh India Ltd) has signed agreements with provincial authorities in Argentina for lithium exploration and development. These partnerships support India’s ambitions in electric mobility and clean energy storage.
Chile’s Strategic Role: Chile is a global leader in lithium production. India and Chile maintain an institutional framework through their Joint Commission for cooperation on critical minerals, mining technologies, and potential supply partnerships.
Agriculture and Food Security: India has established MoUs and working groups with both Argentina and Chile on plant health, food safety, and agri-technology. This supports India’s large-scale import requirements for edible oils, fruits, and pulses, while providing reliable markets for Latin American producers.
These agreements illustrate how economic complementarity forms the backbone of India’s engagement with the Southern Cone, particularly as global supply chains face new uncertainties.
Section 2: Analysis of Positions on Key Global Issues
2.1 Reforming Multilateral Governance
India has long championed the reform of the United Nations Security Council, arguing that the current structure does not reflect contemporary geopolitical realities. Brazil shares this aspiration and has consistently positioned itself as a candidate for permanent membership.
Mexico and Argentina approach the issue through the lens of strengthening multilateralism rather than expanding permanent membership, but their underlying principles align closely with India’s agenda:
· Increasing the representation of developing countries
· Strengthening multilateral decision-making
· Promoting fairness in global governance institutions
This shared outlook is evident across UN debates, G20 discussions, and BRICS dialogues, where the Global South collectively argues for more equitable structures.
2.2 Climate Responsibility and Developmental Equity
India’s climate diplomacy emphasizes common but differentiated responsibilities, the right to carbon space, and access to climate finance and green technologies. India is also a founding champion of the International Solar Alliance, which many Latin American countries support.
Latin American nations bring substantial ecological weight to global climate negotiations. Brazil’s stewardship of the Amazon, Chile’s renewable capabilities, Argentina’s agricultural ecosystem, and Mexico’s climate adaptation strategies all position the region as a central voice on sustainability.
India and Latin America converge on:
· Climate equity
· Support for renewable energy diffusion
· Expanded climate finance
· Technology access for developing countries
This shared agenda strengthens their position in global climate forums and reinforces their roles as advocates for sustainable development that does not compromise economic growth.
2.3 Food and Energy Security: Natural Complementarity
India is one of the world’s largest consumers of food, energy, and fertilizers, while Latin America is one of the world’s major exporters of all three categories. This creates a natural and reliable partnership.
Latin America’s agricultural strength—in soy, pulses, fruits, edible oils, and grains—supports India’s food security. Similarly, the region’s hydrocarbon exports complement India’s need to diversify energy suppliers.
Global disruptions in recent years have reinforced the importance of diversified supply chains, and Latin America offers India stability, geographic diversification, and long-term partnership potential.
2.4 Convergence on Global Conflicts: The Ukraine Example
India’s balanced approach to the Ukraine conflict—advocating dialogue, rejecting unilateral sanctions, and highlighting humanitarian consequences—finds strong resonance across Latin America. Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina have all adopted similar positions rooted in strategic autonomy and multilateral diplomacy.
This convergence reflects a deeper shared principle:
· Foreign policy grounded in independence
· Refusal to align with great-power blocs under external pressure
· Commitment to negotiated solutions
Such alignment demonstrates common philosophical ground in managing crises and great-power tensions.
Conclusion: Strategic Convergence in an Era of Change
India and Latin America’s largest economies are building a partnership that is broader, deeper, and more strategically aligned than at any point in their diplomatic history. Economic agreements provide the base, but it is the shared perspective on global governance, climate justice, conflict diplomacy, and development rights that gives the relationship its long-term direction.
This emerging axis of multipolarity is not driven by ideology but by pragmatic cooperation, shared experiences as developing economies, and a common determination to reshape the contours of global governance. As BRICS expands and the G20 continues to evolve, India and Latin America are positioned to strengthen coordination, promote equitable reform, and advance a collaborative vision for a more representative international order.
Sources:
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India
https://mea.gov.in/bilateral-documents.htm
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Brazil
https://www.gov.br/mre/en
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
https://www.isro.gov.in
Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores (SRE), Government of Mexico
https://www.gob.mx/sre
Embassy of India in Mexico City
https://www.indianembassy.org.mx
KABIL – Khanij Bidesh India Ltd.
https://kabilindia.in
Ministry of Mining, Government of Argentina
https://www.argentina.gob.ar/mineria
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Chile (MINREL)
https://minrel.gob.cl
United Nations General Debate (UNGA)
https://gadebate.un.org
BRICS Summit Declarations
https://brics2024.gov.in
G20 Leaders’ Declarations
https://www.g20.org
UNFCCC – United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
https://unfccc.int
International Solar Alliance (ISA)
https://isolaralliance.org
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
https://www.fao.org
International Energy Agency (IEA)
https://www.iea.org
United Nations General Assembly Voting Records
https://www.un.org/en/ga
Foreign Ministries
India — https://mea.gov.in
Brazil — https://www.gov.br/mre/en
Mexico — https://www.gob.mx/sre
Argentina — https://www.cancilleria.gob.ar
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