This article is a part of the series - Raisina Chronicles 2024
During my almost five-year tenure as the foreign minister of Mexico, the search for closer relations with the AsiaPacific region was amongst my top priorities. The growing importance of the Asia-Pacific region is indisputable, highlighted by its commitment to multilateralism and open trade. We are talking about a region that comprises more than 60 percent of the world’s population, over 40 percent of global trade, and more than 40 percent of worldwide GDP.
Within the Asia-Pacific region, India is a key player with whom Mexico has had diplomatic relations for over 70 years. In recent times, relations between our two nations have strengthened and flourished. India is Mexico’s tenth largest trading partner, with further prospects to expand bilateral economic cooperation and harness synergies between our two emerging economies. We also have a growing trade and economic complementarity, as well as thriving cooperation in diverse fields. There is potential to explore and collaborate in the sectors of aerospace, health, joint pharmaceutical manufacturing, space exploration, agriculture, and renewables—areas where India is a global leader—and boost our privileged partnership to a strategic one. Simultaneously, both India and Mexico endeavour towards a common vision of a stable multipolar world order. Our countries have succeeded in establishing a fluent political dialogue, identifying areas of agreement and joint initiatives in the multilateral arena.
India is a key player with whom Mexico has had diplomatic relations for over 70 years. In recent times, relations between our two nations have strengthened and flourished. India is Mexico’s tenth largest trading partner, with further prospects to expand bilateral economic cooperation and harness synergies between our two emerging economies.
Our relationship has been characterised by a spate of diplomatic exchanges in recent years that have provided ongoing momentum. Among the official trips I made as foreign minister to countries in the region, I wish to underline my two visits to India, in April 2022 and March 2023. Furthermore, India’s Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar visited Mexico in September 2021. With my Indian counterpart, we agreed on a common vision for the future of our bilateral relations. These high-level meetings, along with productive and fruitful interactions between Mexican and Indian delegations from different government agencies, have been of utmost importance in strengthening our bilateral relations.
A significant step forward in our efforts to foster links between Mexico and India was the opening of a new Mexican Consulate in Mumbai in 2023. Significantly, during my last trip to India in March 2023, I had the honour of speaking at the 2023 edition of the Raisina Dialogue.
A significant step forward in our efforts to foster links between Mexico and India was the opening of a new Mexican Consulate in Mumbai in 2023. Significantly, during my last trip to India in March 2023, I had the honour of speaking at the 2023 edition of the Raisina Dialogue.
The Raisina Dialogue is considered by world leaders and academics in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond as one of the top platforms for the exchange of high-level ideas on current affairs. In line with India’s growing influence in the world, this forum has become a flagship conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics.
The 2023 edition of the Raisina Dialogue was timely as it was held immediately after the meeting of foreign ministers of the G20, chaired by India. This allowed both speakers and attendees to have a fruitful and enriching experience in assessing current world affairs. In that fortunate coincidence, I was able to share some ideas and thoughts in the session titled “The New High-Table: Realigning the G20 in a Changing World,” related to the G20 and Mexico’s valueadded participation in this venue. The session was particularly relevant, considering that in 2023, India held the presidency of the G20. I had the opportunity to underline the Mexican conviction that the multilateral system should be protected and strengthened. The G20 is a strategic platform to advance this purpose and positively contribute to global governance.
India presided over the G20 presidency in challenging times for the global economy, deeply compromised by the effects of a global pandemic, and a war that has endangered food supplies and created the deepest energy crisis since the 1970s.
Mexico fully supported India’s G20 presidency and worked closely with all the other member states to ensure that the New Delhi Summit delivered positive results. Mexico will continue building on the role of the G20 as a platform for dialogue and consensus.
Mexico fully supported India’s G20 presidency and worked closely with all the other member states to ensure that the New Delhi Summit delivered positive results. Mexico will continue building on the role of the G20 as a platform for dialogue and consensus.
It is worrying that geopolitical confrontations are becoming a growing barrier to compromise on the most pressing global crises, amidst at least two conflicting visions of global governance. Simultaneously, we are seeing a period of four emerging economies presiding over the G20—Indonesia (2022), India (2023), Brazil (2024), and South Africa (2025)—and this is undoubtedly an opportunity to increase the influence of the developing world in the formulation of the grouping’s agenda.
In this context, the Raisina Dialogue last year, coinciding with India’s G20 presidency, placed emphasis on the Global South and the problems and priorities for this disparate group of countries: it raised the voice of developing nations by retaining the focus on development issues such as climate change, poverty, debt crises, and sustainable development. This is crucial because the active involvement of emerging countries contributes to the provision of global public goods and supports the integration of low-income and developing countries—those suffering the worst impacts of global crises—into a sustainable global economy. Thus, the Raisina Dialogue has evolved into a platform for a strategic dialogue on key social, security, environmental, and financial challenges, as well as being an agenda setter and facilitator.
At the same time, during its G20 presidency, India positioned itself as a bridge between the developed and developing worlds. The diverse panels, in terms of themes, composition, and widespread representation at Raisina Dialogue 2023, recognised emerging economies such as India and Mexico as bridge-builders in their own regions, with growing influence in a context defined by bloc formation and geopolitical competition.
In today’s polarised world, it is more imperative than ever that dialogue, cooperation, and solidarity drive our aspirations. Stability, peace, and prosperity depend upon diplomacy and dialogue. Bringing together the world’s decision-makers, policymakers, and thought leaders under one roof, the Raisina Dialogue is an embodiment of this spirit of dialogue and dissent. Mexico, too, advocates for the use of dialogue and the peaceful settlement of international disputes in any conflict.
The Raisina Dialogue also attempts to include voices that have been historically overlooked within discussions and policy formulation processes. These include the voices of women, youth, and migrants, giving particular attention to gender equality and the protection of human rights as cross-cutting issues. The Raisina Young Fellows Programme is testament to this endeavour of inclusion. After all, addressing global challenges requires inclusion and dialogue, not exclusion and isolation. In this scenario, the Raisina Dialogue plays a constructive role in promoting dialogue and contributing to lasting solutions for present and future global challenges.
I am deeply grateful and honoured to be the first Mexican Minister of Foreign Affairs to participate in the Raisina Dialogue. On the eve of completing its first decade, the Raisina Dialogue has become a reference in addressing the most challenging issues that the international community faces. In the G20 as well as in Raisina Dialogue and other fora, Mexico will keep underlining its firm commitment to the protection and strengthening of the multilateral system.
My special gratitude to the Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar and Dr. Samir Saran, the President of the Observer Research Foundation, for inviting me to share Mexico’s vision in these complex times.
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