PM Modi begins historic Argentina visit, meets President Javier Milei

Buenos Aires: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday began his historic visit to Argentina by paying respects at the statue of General Jose de San Martin, the country’s revered freedom fighter and national hero, in Buenos Aires.

PM Modi laid a wreath and paid his respect at the San Martin Memorial, beginning the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the South American nation in the last 57 years.

General Jose de San Martin is recognised as the liberator of Argentina and the monument was created in 1862 by French sculptor Louis Joseph Daumas. It was the first equestrian statue in Buenos Aires.

San Martín led crucial moments in Argentina’s fight for independence between 1813 and 1818, defeating Spanish troops at the Battle of San Lorenzo, reorganising the Army of the North, becoming Governor of Cuyo and creating the Army of the Andes, which he led across the mountains into Chile to liberate the neighbouring country from Spanish rule, before moving north to liberate Peru in 1820.

Later, Prime Minister Modi was warmly received by Argentina’s President Javier Milei at the historic Casa Rosada as the two leaders began bilateral engagements. PM Modi arrived in Argentina early Saturday on the third leg of his five-nation tour, following visits to Ghana and Trinidad and Tobago (T&T), earlier in the week. It will be followed by Brazil (July 5-8) and Namibia (July 9).

The Prime Minister was accorded a ceremonial welcome ahead of the delegation-level talks. It will be followed by a lunch hosted by President Milei in honour of the PM.

Argentina is a strategic partner of India since 2019, and the two countries celebrated 75 years of diplomatic relations last year.

The visit to Argentina comes at a particularly significant time as Argentina is undertaking major economic reforms somewhat similar to those India went through in the past, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) noted ahead of the historic visit. (IANS)

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