External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar offered India’s expertise to Central American countries in digital payments, information technology, pharmaceuticals, and agriculture during the Fifth India-SICA Foreign Ministers Meeting.

“Our countries face similar challenges in development, poverty alleviation, and climate change, and we can address these more effectively if we address them together,” Jaishankar said. He emphasized that India seeks tangible outcomes from the partnership to promote a more inclusive and balanced multipolar world order.

Jaishankar highlighted India’s success with the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), which facilitates seamless, secure, and real-time fund transfers. “Today, more than half of the world’s cashless payments take place in India because of this system,” he noted.

India’s private sector is also keen on investing in SICA countries, particularly in agriculture, IT, pharmaceuticals, and renewable energy. “Many of our companies have developed a footprint in solar, green hydrogen, and bioenergy worldwide,” he added.

During the Covid pandemic, India strengthened ties with the region by supplying vaccines and is prepared to support affordable healthcare and public health systems in SICA countries. Last year, India provided essential medicines, relief materials, and emergency aid following storms that damaged infrastructure and livelihoods in the region, reflecting its commitment to solidarity and regional development.

India’s engagement with SICA, which began at the ministerial level in 2004, has grown to address post-pandemic recovery, digital transformation, financing for development, and climate action, strengthening a strategic partnership between the countries.