Nishant Bhaiji
NEW DELHI: Mexico, an important part of the G20 coalition, is India’s first partner in Latin America and the largest investor in India from the region. For Mexico, India is among the top 10 trading partners, and is the third largest buyer of petrol.
There are around 200 companies of different sectors and sizes of Indian origin which are present in Mexico and represent accumulated investment of 305.6 million dollars since 1999. On the other hand, there are about 20 Mexican companies in India.
Only PM Modi can
Last year, Mexico’s Foreign Minister Marcelo Luis Ebrard Casaubón created quite a stir in Indian media with his comment that “Only PM Modi can broker peace between Ukraine, Russia”.
In September 2022, during the UN Security Council debate on Ukraine in New York, Mexico had proposed to the United Nations to set up a committee that included India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with Pope Francis, and UN SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres to mediate permanent peace between Russia and Ukraine.
His comments came as a surprise to those sitting on the fence of international relations arena. But, to those inside the ring, it was a reflection of deep connect and alignment that exists between the two nations on various global matters.
Trade & investment
During recent high-level meetings, both countries have expressed willingness and interest to expand and strengthen trade and investment. Last year during the G20 leaders’ summit in Bali, Casaubón urged the developed world to increase and mobilise financial support of at least 100 billion dollars annually to combat climate change by developing countries till 2025. He also appealed for reforms in international financial organisation. India too has been demanding both for years now and it is on India’s priority agenda during the on-going G20 presidency.
“I know that this could involve reforms to the World Bank, the InterAmerican Development Bank…[and] the International Monetary Fund, but, once again, the resources we must provide to achieve the very lofty goal of guaranteeing global energy security seem to be at our disposal and there is no reason not to do it,” Casaubón had said.
Mission LiFE initiative
PM Modi’s ambitious initiative Mission LiFE, Lifestyle for Environment, which occupies centerstage during India’s G20 presidency, is also deeply ingrained in Mexico’s development ethos. Both nations have much more in come than one can imagine.
During its G20 presidency in 2012, had Mexico promulgated the idea of inclusive ‘green growth’. It successfully built consensus amongst the G20 members and participants to enshrine the notion of ‘social acceptability’ along with ‘environmental compatibility’ while pursuing economic growth. The aim was to ensure that G20’s growth oriented discussions were holistic and worked towards a climate-friendly path to development.
This also helps explain both popularity and international acceptability of Modi’s Mission LiFE and the man himself. India under Modi has been able to tap into the desires and aspirations of the developing world. Modi has time and again reiterated that India’s G20 presidency is inclusive of voice of Global South.
Similar UN trajectory
Both nations have repeatedly reaffirmed their firm belief in a multi-polar world. Last year during Casaubón visit to India the commitment and cooperation for working towards common goal got further strengthened. Both nations became non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council for two years in January 2021 and pledged to work towards supporting and straightening the agendas of countries of the Global South.
While the relationship between two nations does not make headlines on a regular basis, it has been growing year-on-year. The relationship between the two countries has been that of ‘‘privileged partnership’ status since 2007. In 2016, after PM Modi’s visit to New Mexico where he met with the then Mexican President Peña Nieto, the relationship status was elevated to ‘strategic partnership’.
Both countries have also resolved to forge a long-term alliance and move beyond a buyer-seller relationship.
