External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Tuesday, 23 September 2026, told the foreign ministers of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) at the United Nations in New York that India's rise as a major economy has enabled it to contribute meaningfully to shared prosperity across the Global South. The remarks came as Jaishankar co-chaired the 33-member CELAC foreign ministers' meeting alongside Uruguay's Foreign Minister Mario Lubetkin.

India's Economic Credentials on the Global Stage

“Over the past decade, India has emerged as one of the world's major economies. Our GDP has more than doubled, growth has remained robust,” Jaishankar told the gathering. He pointed to India's expanding human resource base, growing domestic market, strong digital infrastructure, and widening technology capabilities as the foundations of its outward engagement. “This has strengthened our ability to contribute meaningfully to global growth and to partners across the Global South,” he said.

Solidarity, Not Self-Interest: India's Pitch to Latin America

Jaishankar was careful to frame India's engagement as principle-driven. “Our engagement with the Global South reflects our solidarity and commitment to shared prosperity,” he said, distancing New Delhi from a transactional foreign-policy reading. He cited India's humanitarian response to Hurricane Melissa, which struck Jamaica last year, and the earthquake that devastated Venezuela this year, as well as ongoing support for development programmes in the Caribbean and medicine supplies to Latin American nations.

Key Areas of Cooperation Agreed Upon

After the meeting, Jaishankar posted on X that ministers had agreed to deepen cooperation across health and pharmaceuticals, food and agriculture, energy and resources, small and medium enterprises, and digital technology. CELAC nations also extended support for a slate of Indian-led multilateral initiatives: the International Solar Alliance, the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, the International Big Cat Alliance, the Global Biofuels Alliance, and Mission Life.

Trade and Complementary Strengths

Bilateral trade between India and the CELAC bloc has grown to over $50 billion annually, though Jaishankar acknowledged significant untapped potential. “Yet there is much more room to grow,” he said. He outlined complementary strengths: India brings technology, pharmaceuticals, skilled human resources, and digital capabilities, while CELAC offers opportunities in critical minerals, sustainable energy, agriculture, food resources, and natural assets. New Delhi will also increase slots for CELAC countries in the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme, broadening capacity-building access.

What This Signals for India's South-South Diplomacy

The CELAC engagement is the latest in a series of Global South outreach moves that have accelerated since India hosted the G20 Presidency in 2023, during which the African Union's permanent membership was secured. This comes amid growing competition among major powers — including China and the United States — to deepen influence in Latin America and the Caribbean. India's pitch centres on a non-coercive, capacity-building model rather than infrastructure loans or military ties. How CELAC nations respond — and whether trade follow-through matches diplomatic warmth — will determine the durability of this outreach.