Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed Paraguayan President Santiago Peña Palacios on Monday at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, as the two leaders held extensive discussions aimed at strengthening diplomatic, economic, and technological cooperation between India and Paraguay. President Peña is on a three-day State Visit to India, his first official trip to the country, at the invitation of Prime Minister Modi. He arrived earlier in the day on 2nd June, 2025 at Air Force Station Palam, where he was accorded a ceremonial Guard of Honour. His high-level delegation includes ministers, senior officials, and leading business representatives.
Welcoming the visiting dignitary, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) posted on social media: “Towards a new momentum in bilateral relationship. PM Narendra Modi welcomed President Santiago Peña of Paraguay at the Hyderabad House ahead of their deliberations.” Prior to the meeting with Modi, President Peña called on External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, discussing opportunities to deepen cooperation. Dr. Jaishankar posted on X: “Pleased to call on President Santiago Peña of Paraguay at the start of his State Visit to India. Appreciate his positive sentiments and guidance for enhancing India–Paraguay cooperation in many domains.”
President Peña also paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat, laying a floral wreath at the memorial. Prime Minister Modi hosted a luncheon in Peña’s honour, while President Droupadi Murmu was scheduled to host a state banquet. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar is also set to meet the Paraguayan leader. During the Hyderabad House discussions, the leaders explored expanding cooperation in agriculture, pharmaceuticals, technology, renewable energy, health, critical minerals, railways, and people-to-people ties. Paraguay’s President strongly condemned the recent April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, expressing solidarity with the Indian people.
Sharing images of the meeting on X, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal wrote, “PM @narendramodi held wide-ranging talks with President @SantiPenap of Paraguay at Hyderabad House. They discussed enhancing cooperation in the fields of agriculture, Pharma, technology, renewable energy, health, critical minerals, railways & people-to-people contacts.”
Prime Minister Modi also shared on social media: “Had a productive meeting with the President of Paraguay, Santiago Peña in Delhi. Paraguay is a valued partner in South America and our nations are connected by shared values. Our talks covered diverse subjects, prime among which was close economic cooperation. There is immense potential in boosting trade linkages.” India and Paraguay established diplomatic relations on September 13, 1961, and have since maintained warm ties across sectors including trade, agriculture, health, pharmaceuticals, and IT. Indian companies, especially in the automobile and pharmaceutical sectors, are active in Paraguay, while several Paraguayan firms operate in India through joint ventures. Both nations align on key global concerns such as UN reforms, climate change, renewable energy, and counter-terrorism. The MEA emphasized that the visit provides a timely opportunity to review bilateral ties and explore new avenues of cooperation, particularly under the broader framework of South-South cooperation.
President Peña’s itinerary also includes a visit to Mumbai, where he will engage with state leaders, business and industry representatives, startups, innovators, and technology leaders. He is scheduled to return to Paraguay on June 4, 2025. This marks only the second time a Paraguayan head of state has visited India, underscoring the growing importance both nations place on strengthening ties across continents.
