Bilateral Brief

Embassy of India
Asuncion
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BILATERAL BRIEF ON INDIA-PARAGUAY BILATERAL RELATIONS

a. Political Relations

Diplomatic relations between India and Paraguay were established in 1961. The Embassy of India in Asuncion started its operations on 27 January 2022. The Republic of Paraguay opened its Embassy in India in March 2006 and has Honorary Consulates in Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata. In 2026, the 65th anniversary of establishment of India-Paraguay diplomatic relations is being celebrated.

b. Bilateral Interactions

Visits

2.        At the invitation of Prime Minister of India Hon’ble Shri Narendra Modi, President of Paraguay H.E. Mr. Santiago Peña Palacios, paid a State Visit to India on 2-4 June 2025. The delegation included Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Ruben Ramirez Lezcano and Minister of Industry & Commerce Mr. Javier Giminez. H.E. President Peña visited New Delhi and Mumbai during the State Visit. The MoU for establishment of India-Paraguay Joint Commission Mechanism was signed.

3.         External Affairs Minister (EAM) of India, Dr S. Jaishankar, paid an official visit to Paraguay on 21-22 August 2022. EAM and Foreign Minister (FM) of Paraguay H.E. Amb Julio Cesar Arriola jointly inaugurated the Embassy of India building in Asuncion. During the visit, EAM also called on President of Paraguay H.E. Mr. Mario Abdo Benitez.

4.         Vice President of India Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu paid an official visit to Paraguay from 5-7 March 2019; it is the senior-most visit from India to Paraguay since establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations. Vice President Shri Naidu was accompanied by a high-level delegation, including the Minister of State for Tourism Shri K.J. Alphons, Member of Parliament Shri R. K. Kashyap, and senior Government officials.

5.         President of Paraguay H.E. Mr. Fernando Lugo, visited India in May 2012, accompanied by Paraguayan Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Agriculture & Animal Husbandry and Commerce, besides senior officials.

6.         Smt. Meenakshi Lekhi, Minister of State for External Affairs visited Paraguay on 2-4 November, 2023. Paraguayan Vice Minister of Armed Forces General (R) Angel Javier Cristaldo Navarro led a four-person delegation to participate in Aero-India 2023 on 13-18 February 2023. Vice-Minister of Defence of Paraguay Colonel Dr. Gladys Arsenia Ruiz Laconich visited India in October 2022 to participate in DefExpo 2022. Paraguayan Minister of Tourism Ms. Sofía Montiel de Afara visited India to attend the World Tourism Day celebrations on 30 September 2019. A Paraguayan Parliamentary Delegation visited India in 2010, and an Indian Parliamentary Delegation visited Paraguay in 2012.

Telephonic Calls

7.         EAM held a telephonic conversation with Paraguayan Foreign Minister Mr. Antonio Rivas Palacios, on 30 April 2020, during which he conveyed India’s decision to gift medicines and protective gear to Paraguay to support the country in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. On 25 August 2020, the gift was formally handed over to the Minister of Public Health and Social Welfare of Paraguay Dr. Julio Daniel Mazzoleni Insfran, in a virtual ceremony.

8.         A telephonic conversation was held between EAM and Paraguayan Foreign Minister Mr. Euclides Acevedo Candia on 11 March 2021, subsequent to which the Government of India sent a gift of 200,000 doses of Made in India Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin to Paraguay. The doses were received at Asuncion in two lots of 100,000 each on 29 March and 25 April 2021. Later, 400,000 doses of Covaxin were delivered on 12 November 2021 to Paraguay.

Virtual Interactions

9.       The then Acting Minister of Health Dr. Hernan Martinez participated in the virtual session of “Voice of Global South Summit 2023” titled: “Cooperation to Build Resilient Healthcare Systems” chaired by Minister of Health and Family Welfare Shri Mansukh Mandaviya on 13 January 2023.

10.       Mr. Rodrigo Maluff, Vice Minister of Investments and Export Networks (REDIEX), Ministry of Industry & Commerce, Paraguay participated in the Commerce/Trade Ministers’ Session on ‘Global South and Resilient Supply Chains’ hosted by CIM Mr. Piyush Goyal, held in virtual format on 17 November 2023.

Dialogue Mechanism

11.      Foreign Office Consultations between the two countries have been institutionalized by signing a MOU in 2002. The first round of Foreign Office Consultations was held in Asuncion in October 2010, the second in New Delhi in August 2015, and the third in December 2021 in Asuncion.

12.       The MoU for establishment of the India-Paraguay Joint Commission Mechanism (JCM) was signed in June 2025. The first meeting of India-Paraguay JCM was held on 14 November 2025 in Asuncion.

c. Economic and Commercial Relations

Bilateral Trade

13.       For the fiscal year 2024–25 the India–Paraguay bilateral trade stood at USD 213.88 million (Source: Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India). India’s exports to Paraguay were valued at USD 180.47 million, while Paraguay’s exports to India reached USD 33.41 million. The main export items of Paraguay to India are soya oil and related products, iron and steel, aluminum, and animal products. Main export items from India to Paraguay include motor vehicles, agrochemicals, auto parts and pharmaceutical products

Trade statistics according to MOCI (Values in US$ Millions):

14.     Paraguay is a member of MERCOSUR. An India-MERCOSUR Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) was concluded on 25 January 2004 and became operational in June 2009. Preferential duty (10-20 % in most cases) is given to certain Indian Products entering MERCOSUR countries and vice versa. India offers an additional 10% margin of preference to Paraguay for a Tariff Rate Quota of imports of crude soybean oil up to 30000 MT/year.

Investments and Joint Ventures

15.       UPL is supplying agrochemicals to Paraguay. Praj Industries is executing two ethanol projects in Paraguay. Aditya Birla Group has a trade office in Paraguay (Swiss Singapore Overseas Limited). Vemarcorp, owned by a PIO based in the UK, became the first steelmaker in Paraguay to produce recycled steel in 2018. Crompton Greaves (CG), an Indian electrical equipment company has been supplying transformers, switchgear and other electrical materials to Paraguay's national power utility, Administracion Nacional de Electricidad (ANDE) and Vemarcorp through its local company/agents.

16.       The Embassy in collaboration with local partners has been undertaking activities for promoting bilateral business and investment ties:

• ‘Brand India Lounge’ was established on 26 January 2026 in Asuncion to showcase Indian companies engaging with Paraguay and to provide a platform for enhancing commercial collaboration.
• A webinar on Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices was held on 4 November 2025.
• An India Tourism Promotion event was held on 19 August 2025 in Asuncion.
• A webinar was held on 02 April 2024 between Association of Autoparts Industries of Paraguay and Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India.
• Mission participated in the Mariano Roque Alonso expo – Paraguay's most significant commercial event in 2022 and 2023.
• Mission participated in FITPAR (largest International Tourism Fair of Paraguay) in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.

d. Cultural Relations

17.       There is a significant liking for Indian arts, culture and heritage among Paraguayans. Indian Food Festivals and all editions of the International Yoga Day have seen enthusiastic participation from Paraguayan people. EAM, during his visit in August 2022, inaugurated a Gandhi Bust at Costanera – a prominent location in Asuncion. Mission participated in the fair “Feria de Sabores del Cabildo” on 14 May 2025, where visitors were served with traditional Indian dishes for tasting.

18.       As part of the celebrations of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, commemorative stamps were launched by Vice President Shri Venkaiah Naidu and Vice President of Paraguay Mr. Hugo Vélazquez in Asuncion in March 2019. A vegetarian food festival was also organized as a part of Gandhi@150 celebrations.

19.       Embassy organized the International Day of Yoga 2022 in Asuncion, Monday waterfalls (an iconic site) in Presidente Franco and Mision Jesuitica Trinidad del Parana (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) in Encarnacion. IDY 2023 was celebrated in these three cities and also in Salto del Guaira (Canindeyu Department). IDY 2024 was celebrated in 6 cities in Paraguay (Asuncion, Cuidad del Este, Encarnacion, Salto del Guaira, San Bernadino and Concepcion). IDY 2025 was celebrated in Asuncion, Ciudad del Este, Villarrica, Salto del Guaira, and Encarnacion.

e. Technical and Development Cooperation

20.        Under the ITEC program India offered 20 scholarship slots to Paraguay: however, it was increased to 21 scholarships in AY 2022-23; 37 scholarships in AY 23-24 and 50 scholarships in AY 2024-25. Seven (07) Paraguayans participated in the Gen-Next Democracy Programme" in India from 08-17 August, 2022. Dean of Diplomatic and Consular Academy “Carlos Antonio Lopez” of Paraguay, Ambassador Juan Andres Cardozo, visited India to participate in the 48th International Forum for Diplomatic Training (IFDT) in November 2022, organized by Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service, New Delhi.

21.       The High-Level Closing Event for the project ‘Extension of Access and Coverage in Maternal Health in Remote Rural Areas, Indigenous Communities, and Border areas of the Paraguayan Chaco’ was held on 15 November 2025 in Asuncion. The two-year project which concluded in June 2025 was funded by the India-UN Development Partnership Fund. Another project funded by India-UN Development Partnership Fund ‘Prevention of teenage pregnancy and violence/sexual abuse in girls and adolescents from an inter-sectoral approach’ was concluded in September 2022.

f. Indian Community

22.       Around 600 Indians live in Paraguay, mainly in Asuncion and Ciudad del Este, a city in the southeast of Paraguay on the border with Brazil and Argentina. Approximately 400 are NRIs, and the remaining are PIOs involved in trading, wholesale and retail business.

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February 2026