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India and Mexico: A 75-Year Partnership
Context: Marking 75 years of diplomatic relations in 2025, India and Mexico are reflecting on a partnership historically characterised by a “humanistic orientation” and are now aiming to elevate it to a Strategic Partnership. This relationship, built on shared values and mutual benefit, is gaining renewed significance in a rapidly shifting global order.
How have bilateral relations with Mexico benefited India?
The bilateral relationship has delivered significant, multi-sectoral benefits for India:
- Agricultural Revolution (The Green Revolution): The most profound historical benefit was Mexico’s contribution to India’s food security.
- The 60th anniversary of Mexican national leaders (like Nobel laureate Norman Borlaug) sending wheat seeds to India was facilitated by M.S. Swaminathan. This initiative was pivotal to India’s Green Revolution, helping “save millions of lives from hunger.”
- Economic and Trade Partnership: Mexico is a key trading partner for India in Latin America. The relationship provides India with access to a large market of nearly 130 million people and a strategic gateway to North and South America due to Mexico’s geographic position.
- Diplomatic and Multilateral Support: The two countries have traditionally shared similar views on multilateral platforms, supporting a more democratic and inclusive global order. This partnership has bolstered India’s standing in the Global South.
- COVID-19 Solidarity: India, through Vaccine Maitri, showcased its capability as a reliable pharmacy of the world, strengthening diplomatic goodwill.
- Strategic Market Access: For Indian companies, Mexico serves as a manufacturing and export hub to the entire Americas.
What are the challenges in the ties?
Despite the strong foundation, the relationship faces certain challenges:
- Underutilised Economic Potential: While trade is healthy, it remains below its true potential. There is a need to diversify the trade basket beyond traditional commodities and pharmaceuticals.
- Geographical Distance and Connectivity: The physical distance has been a barrier to deepening people-to-people ties and increasing the frequency of high-level engagements compared to neighbours.
- Navigating Great Power Politics: In an era of US-China rivalry, both India and Mexico, while seeking strategic autonomy, must carefully navigate their respective relationships with major powers, which could sometimes create complex diplomatic situations.
- Lack of a Formal Strategic Framework: The current “Privileged Partnership” may be insufficient, necessitating upgradation to a “Strategic Partnership” to deal with the emergent geopolitical issues.
What opportunities lie ahead in the present geopolitical context?
The current volatile global landscape presents a unique opportunity to transform the India-Mexico relationship:
- Supply Chain Diversification: As companies look to de-risk from China (the “China Plus One” strategy), both India and Mexico stand to benefit. Mexico can be a hub for Indian companies targeting North American markets, and India can be a key partner for Mexico in Asia.
- Cooperation in Critical Technologies: Artificial Intelligence (AI), quantum computing, automation, digital finance, and space science are key areas for bilateral collaboration. Joint ventures and knowledge sharing in these sunrise sectors can define the next phase of the relationship.
- Leadership in the Global South: As two of the world’s largest democracies and major economies, they can jointly champion the causes of the developing world, push for reforms in multilateral institutions, and shape a new, more multipolar world order.
- Energy and Sustainability: There are vast opportunities for collaboration in renewable energy, green hydrogen, and climate change mitigation technologies.
- From Privileged to Strategic Partnership: The explicit intent to formalise a Strategic Partnership would provide the necessary framework to synergise efforts across defence, security, technology, and economics, making the partnership more comprehensive and result-oriented.
