Rio de Janeiro–External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar met with Mexico’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Juan Ramón de la Fuente, on Sunday on the sidelines of the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro. The two leaders discussed avenues to deepen bilateral cooperation, particularly in health, digital innovation, technology, and space.
“Pleased to meet Juan Ramón de la Fuente, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico in Rio de Janeiro today. Discussed further advancement of our partnership focusing on health, digital, technology and space,” Jaishankar posted on X, sharing a photo of the meeting.
Earlier in the day, Jaishankar also held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
India and Mexico share a long-standing relationship dating back to 1950, when Mexico became the first Latin American country to establish diplomatic ties with independent India. The year 2025 will mark the 75th anniversary of these bilateral relations, which have matured into a multifaceted partnership.
Both nations maintain regular consultations and collaborate closely in multilateral platforms, including the United Nations and the G20. India has an embassy in Mexico City along with honorary consulates in Guadalajara, Monterrey, and Cancun. Mexico, in addition to its embassy in New Delhi, inaugurated a consulate in Mumbai in 2023.
A “Privileged Partnership” between the two countries was formalized during the visit of then Mexican President Felipe Calderón to India in 2007. That partnership has continued to evolve, with high-level exchanges and cooperation across strategic sectors.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Mexico City on June 8, 2016, meeting then-President Enrique Peña Nieto. The leaders agreed to elevate the relationship to a “Strategic Partnership.” A reciprocal visit by the Mexican President was planned for 2017 but was canceled due to a major earthquake in Mexico City.
EAM Jaishankar visited Mexico in September 2021 and reiterated the leadership’s commitment to strengthening ties. During the visit, he also met with then-President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Prior to that, the last Indian External Affairs Minister to visit Mexico was P.V. Narasimha Rao in 1980.
From the Mexican side, former Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard visited India in April 2022, reinforcing the shared objective of building a strategic partnership. He returned in 2023 for the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.
BRICS Condemns Pahalgam Terror Attack, Reaffirms Commitment to Counterterrorism
In a separate development at the BRICS Summit, member nations issued a strong condemnation of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which left 26 tourists dead. The attack, sponsored by Pakistan and claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF)—a proxy of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba—was labeled as a heinous act by global observers.
The Rio de Janeiro Declaration, adopted after the first day of summit proceedings, stated:
“We condemn in the strongest terms the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir on 22 April 2025, during which at least 26 people were killed and many more injured. We reaffirm our commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including the cross-border movement of terrorists, terrorism financing and safe havens.”
The declaration also emphasized that terrorism should not be linked to any religion, nationality, or ethnic group, and called for accountability and justice in accordance with international law.
This unified stand is seen as a major diplomatic success for India, reinforcing international solidarity against terrorism. (Source: IANS)
