India, Paraguay stand united against terrorism: PM Modi

New Delhi, Jun 2 (PTI) India and Paraguay stand united in the fight against terrorism and there is immense possibility to work unitedly to combat shared challenges such as cybercrime and drug trafficking, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday.

Modi made the remarks at delegation-level talks with Paraguayan President Santiago Pena Palacios.

Pena arrived in Delhi this morning on a three-day visit to India to explore ways to expand overall cooperation.

It is his first visit to India and only the second trip by a president of the South American country.

Paraguay is an important trading partner for India in the Latin American region. Several Indian companies in the automobile and pharmaceuticals sectors have their presence in Paraguay.

"We see new opportunities for cooperation in areas such as digital technology, critical minerals, energy, agriculture, healthcare, defence, railways, space and overall economic partnership," Modi said.

The prime minister also referred to New Delhi's preferential trade arrangement with South American trading bloc MERCOSUR.

"We can work together to further expand it," he said.

MERCOSUR or Common Market of the South is a trading bloc comprising Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.

The two leaders also deliberated on ways to combat terrorism against the backdrop of the Pahalgam terror attack.

"India and Paraguay stand united in the fight against terrorism. There is immense possibility of cooperation to fight against shared challenges such as cybercrime, organised crime, and drug trafficking," Modi said.

The prime minister described Paraguay as an integral part of the Global South.

"India and Paraguay are integral parts of the Global South. Our hopes, aspirations and challenges are similar. And this is why we can learn from each other's experiences to deal with these challenges effectively," he said.

"We are pleased that India could extend support to Paraguay by sharing its vaccines during the Covid pandemic. We look forward to continuing this spirit of cooperation by sharing more of our capabilities," he added.

India and Paraguay established diplomatic relations on 13 September 1961, cultivating warm and friendly ties between the two nations.

Both countries have since developed cooperation in various sectors, including trade, agriculture, health, pharmaceuticals and information technology.

The two countries share common views on various international issues, including UN reforms, climate change, renewable energy and combating terrorism, according to the Ministry of External Affairs. PTI MPB DIV DIV