'India is an important partner in trade, space,' says Mexico foreign minister Ebrard

Mexico Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard Casaubón who is on an India visit has termed the country an "important partner" in trade and space. This is the first visit of Marcelo Ebrard Casaubón to India in his capacity as Foreign Minister, during which he will also visit Mumbai with a big delegation. Speaking to our Principal Diplomatic Correspondent Sidhant Sibal, FM Ebrard said,"we have the opportunity for cooperation with India, with production and (scientific) investigation" when it comes to joint production of covid vaccines. 

The visit of the Foreign Minister of Mexico follows EAM Jaishankar's visit to Mexico City in September last year. Currently, Mexico is India’s second-largest trade partner in Latin America and is a non-permanent member of the UNSC alongside India for the period 2021-22. On the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the minister said "We condemn the invasion, its an invasion, we are proposing a political solution, to look for a political solution and not to corner each other"

Q: What is your key focus during the India visit?

Marcelo Ebrard Casaubón: We have a huge opportunity in order to increase our relationship within Pharmaceuticals, medicines,  learnt from the lessons of the pandemic we collaborate both countries successfully. To expand in this positive experience in this field, also in other fields. Already India is the 9th largest trading partner of Mexico in the world.

Q: What kind of cooperation between India and Mexico amid the Covid crisis and joint production of vaccines?

Marcelo Ebrard Casaubón: We are working and we want to have cooperation and plan production in Mexico, investigation, scientific one between both countries. In Latin America, we are advancing regulatory unification right now because of the lessons of the pandemic. We have different regulations, we waste time and spend time with others to fulfil things, so right now we are unifying the regulatory atmosphere, and we have the opportunity to cooperate with India, with production and investigation.

Q: Science and innovation have been a priority for the relationship...

Marcelo Ebrard Casaubón: It's the main drive right now.

Q: We both are non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, what kind of consultations are both having?

Marcelo Ebrard Casaubón: We are very close on political issues, similar positions in favour of multilateralism, in favour of peaceful solutions to the conflicts. So every day we are in consultations and have common initiatives. 

Q: Space is another area of cooperation, what can you tell me about this?

Marcelo Ebrard Casaubón: We had organize in Latin America last year, the Latin America and Caribbean agency for space which right now has the support of 20 countries. This is a new chapter for Latin America and the Caribbean in space. We cannot do it alone, each one, but we have 20 countries, the same network and budget, you can imagine the budget and power. So India can be very important for us in this regard because we very similar plans and programs, why not, why not have a direct connection and share some objectives in the future for space. We are going to start in this way. 

Q: So sir, do you plan to use Mexico's low-cost space technology to launch Mexican satellites?

Marcelo Ebrard Casaubón: Can be, as part of the programme.

Q: What are your views about the Indo pacific vision?

Marcelo Ebrard Casaubón: Mexico has the presidency of the Pacific Alliance, which is an alliance between Chile, Peru, Mexico and Colombia. In the near future Ecuador. Recently Singapore joined the group, so with the pacific approach and the Indo Pacific approach, you have common ground to work together with India. We want a peaceful solution to the conflict; we want to protect the trade and investment and communication between our countries. Mexico is a player in the pacific too.

Q: Trade has been the show stopper, and it has grown despite the pandemic...

Marcelo Ebrard Casaubón: It's growing, as I mentioned to you, India is right now the 9th partner of Mexico all over the world. It will be 8th, then 7th, and in the case of Mexico - India we are climbing and on the right pattern for the future.

Q: And you're going to Mumbai, you have a business delegation if you can talk about that?

Marcelo Ebrard Casaubón: We have a representative delegation to Mumbai because it's not only a political statement but a matter of collaboration agreement and that is why we are visiting Mumbai.

Q: Mexico recently led a resolution on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, what is your country's position as to what has happened in Ukraine?

Marcelo Ebrard Casaubón: We condemn the invasion, it's an invasion, we are proposing a political solution, to look for a political solution and not to corner each other, not to escalate the conflict, it doesn't make sense to do this. We need to provide some political space in other to have a solution in short term. Not to allow the situation to be a new cold war.

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Q: There have been talks in Turkey between the two sides, termed as very positive?

Marcelo Ebrard Casaubón: We are very excited about this and we want to support any political solution that is in the horizon. That is why see this with a positive approach. 

Q: Are you going to talk about this with EAM Dr Jaishankar?

Marcelo Ebrard Casaubón: Absolutely, he is a brilliant man and a good friend and will talk about this issue.

Q: ... And perhaps more high-level visits...

Marcelo Ebrard Casaubón: Certainly, very soon, we are very close right now, and we are going to be even more in next months. We are very positive about this relationship.