Argentina, India talk defence cooperation, nuclear energy and more

Marci is on a State Visit to India from 17 to 19 February 2019 at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as part of the celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Argentine Republic and the Republic of India.

The President of Argentina is accompanied by senior government officials and a business delegation.

President Macri and Prime Minister Modi held official talks and exchanged views on bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest. The Indian PM hosted an official lunch for President Mauricio Macri and the accompanying delegation.

In a joint statement, both leaders reiterated that India-Argentina relations are based on shared principles and values of democracy, freedom, rule of law, respect for human rights and territorial integrity of States. They expressed their satisfaction at the mutually beneficial cooperation and partnership between the two countries in the political, economic, technical, energy, mining, information technology, scientific and cultural fields. Both sides noted that new spheres of cooperation in areas of mutual interest have been identified and modalities worked out for further strengthening and expanding the bilateral relationship between the two countries.

They took note of the year-long activities planned by the two sides to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. The leaders reaffirmed the importance of parliamentary exchanges between the two democracies and welcomed regular visits of delegations between the two Parliaments.

The leaders welcomed the signing of the MOU in Defence Cooperation and tasked their relevant ministries to work towards its robust implementation.

The leaders noted the entry into force in the year 2018 of the Framework Agreement on Cooperation on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, and the establishment of its Joint Committee with representatives from respective space agencies. They also expressed satisfaction over the recent interactions in December 2018 between the two sides to pursue cooperation in the field of Satellite Remote Sensing, including the exchange of data, the development of applications and calibration and validation experiments. Both sides agreed to further explore avenues of space collaboration including in such areas as satellite building and launch.

Recalling the Agreement on Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy signed in 2010, both sides noted with satisfaction the progress in the ongoing cooperation on the Fission Molly Project, the molybdenum plant being built in Mumbai by the Argentine company INVAP, with a target completion in 2020.

Further, the sides also desired to enhance and explore cooperative ventures in the areas of nuclear power; other societal uses of nuclear energy in the health, agriculture sectors & for industrial applications; and Training and Capacity Building. They also noted that the MoU signed on the occasion, between the Department of Atomic Energy, India and National Atomic Energy Commission, Argentina for cooperation within the framework of Global Center for Nuclear Energy Partnership would bolster institutional linkages in civil nuclear R&D and capacity building.

Picture credit: @MEAIndia on Twitter