India’s top diplomat, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, stepped up collaboration with Central American nations on Thursday, offering expertise in digital payments, information technology, pharmaceuticals, and agriculture to fight common hurdles like development gaps, poverty, and climate change.
Speaking at the Fifth India-SICA Foreign Ministers Meeting in New York, Jaishankar highlighted how these countries can team up for better results. “Our countries face similar challenges… and we can address these more effectively if we address them together,” he said. He pushed for partnerships that deliver real benefits, creating a more inclusive and balanced global order.
Jaishankar spotlighted key areas for progress: digital innovation, renewable energy, food and health security, and climate action. The Central American Integration System (SICA), an eight-nation bloc focused on economic and political ties, has partnered with India since 2004 at the ministerial level. Their work has grown stronger, tackling issues like post-pandemic recovery, energy security, digital transformation, development financing, and climate threats.
One standout pitch? India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI), a game-changer for digital payments. “It has had great success in ensuring a seamless, real-time, and secure method of transferring funds,” Jaishankar noted. Today, over half of the world’s cashless transactions happen in India thanks to UPI, and he’s eager to share this tech with SICA partners.
Indian businesses are also eyeing investments in SICA countries, especially in agriculture, renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, and IT—fields where India shines. On climate change, Jaishankar pointed to Indian firms expanding globally in solar power, green hydrogen, and bioenergy.
Looking back, India built trust during the COVID-19 pandemic by supplying vaccines and now stands ready to bolster public health systems and affordable healthcare in the region. Last year, when storms devastated SICA nations’ infrastructure and livelihoods, India quickly sent essential medicines, relief supplies, and emergency aid as a show of solidarity.
This India-SICA partnership aims to drive practical wins, from digital payments and renewable energy projects to stronger health and climate resilience across Central America.
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