THE MEXICO-INDIA BINATIONAL COMMISSION STRENGTHENS THE SPECIAL PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES

Today the Mexico-India Binational Commission met for the fifth time. The meeting was co-chaired by the Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Lourdes Aranda, and the Indian Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Ambassador Madhusudan Ganapathi.

The delegations were made up of representatives from both foreign ministries and from the areas of trade, the economy, education, culture, science and technology, agriculture, energy, mining and migration, all of whom took part in the discussions of the subcommittees and working groups.

The Binational Commission is the main channel for consultation and coordination between Mexico and India, and this fifth meeting was especially important for strengthening and developing the bilateral relationship.

As part of the meeting, the delegations expressed their desire to strengthen the political dialogue and the high-level contacts and exchanges between both countries as a way to strengthen the Mexico-India special partnership.

Regarding bilateral trade, which has increased in recent years to reach a total of 4.155 billion dollars in 2011, representatives of both countries agreed that the potential exists to substantially increase this figure and pledged to take concrete action in order to increase trade and investment flows between Mexico and India.

In order to encourage more exchanges in other areas of interest, the parties announced the establishment of a working group on tourism, which is included in the bilateral agreement on the subject.

The delegations also signed the 2012-2015 Cultural Cooperation Program, which will further boost cultural and artistic exchanges between the two countries.

Both parties also stressed the importance of scientific and technological cooperation as a complementary tool for raising the standard of living of their populations, and of encouraging cooperation in priority areas of mutual interest.

It was also decided to create a bilateral working group on agricultural cooperation as well as the joint commission provided for in the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of New and Renewable Energy.

The delegations also agreed to meet regularly to discuss consular issues and to exchange information and experience on immigration, visas and work permits.

The Indian delegation expressed its support for Mexico as it organizes the seventh G20 summit which will be held in Los Cabos in June, and pledged to help make the summit a success.

Lastly, it was agreed to hold the sixth meeting of the Binational Commission in New Delhi in 2014.