Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Argentina on Friday evening (July 4) as part of his ongoing five-nation tour of the “Global South.” This marks the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Argentina in 57 years, and comes at a time when both nations are actively seeking to enhance cooperation in energy, critical minerals, defence, and trade. Upon arrival in Buenos Aires, Modi received a warm welcome from Argentine President Javier Milei, with both leaders sharing a cordial hug.
The two leaders are holding wide-ranging delegation-level talks focusing on key sectors such as defence, agriculture, mining, oil and gas, renewable energy, trade, and investment. The visit comes ahead of the BRICS Summit in Brazil and underscores India’s growing engagement with Latin America, especially Argentina, as part of a larger Global South outreach.
One of the central pillars of this visit is energy and mineral cooperation. Argentina’s vast reserves of lithium, copper, and shale gas have become increasingly important to India’s long-term energy security and clean energy ambitions. Lithium, in particular, is essential for producing batteries used in electric vehicles, mobile devices, and renewable energy storage systems. Argentina, along with Bolivia and Chile, forms the ‘Lithium Triangle’, a region that holds over half the world’s lithium reserves.
India has already made significant inroads in Argentina’s lithium sector. Khanij Bidesh India Ltd (KABIL), a joint venture of Indian state-owned companies, has secured rights for lithium exploration in Argentina’s Catamarca province. Further developments and potential agreements in this domain are expected during Modi’s visit.
In addition to lithium, Argentina’s untapped shale gas resources, second-largest in the world, and its emerging capabilities in liquefied natural gas (LNG) are attracting interest from New Delhi. As global energy markets face volatility and traditional suppliers in the Gulf become less reliable, India is actively seeking to diversify its energy sources. Argentina, with its substantial shale oil and gas reserves and plans to expand LNG exports, could become a crucial long-term energy partner.
Buenos Aires has shown interest in drawing Indian investments into its upstream energy sectors. This could benefit both countries, New Delhi through energy diversification, and Argentina through technology exchange and foreign capital inflows.
Before arriving in Argentina, Prime Minister Modi completed a visit to Trinidad and Tobago, where six agreements were signed and he was awarded the nation’s highest civilian honour, the ‘Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.’
Following Argentina, Modi will travel to Brazil for the 17th BRICS Summit, followed by a state visit, and will conclude his tour in Namibia.
