Panama’s President Jose Raul Mulino said India’s partnership with Panama is poised for new heights, with investment opportunities across multiple sectors.
Panama’s President Jose Raul Mulino has described India as a “strategic country” and a crucial partner in technology, healthcare, and production, underlining the growing importance of bilateral ties between the two nations. In an exclusive interaction with ANI on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, Mulino said India’s partnership with Panama is poised for new heights, with investment opportunities across multiple sectors.
“India is a very important country for Panama. The relationship between India and Panama is in a great position at this time. India is a strategic country for us, and we are sharing information with respect to the possibility of increasing India’s investment in technology, medicine, production, and many things in Panama,” Mulino said.
India and Panama’s connection dates back to the mid-19th century, when Indian workers first arrived to contribute to the construction of the Panama Railway, followed by the historic Panama Canal project in the early 20th century. Diplomatic ties were formally established in 1962, and in 1973, Panama became the first Central American country where India set up a resident diplomatic mission. Today, nearly 15,000 people of Indian origin live in Panama, enriching cultural exchange and bolstering people-to-people bonds.
Mulino’s warm remarks come at a time when India’s global partnerships are expanding in both trade and strategic sectors, with Panama presenting itself as a gateway to Central America for Indian investments.
The relationship has historically been marked by cordiality, mutual respect, and expanding economic cooperation. Mulino’s remarks point to the desire of both nations to scale up engagement further, especially in areas like healthcare, digital technology, and production industries. The External Affairs Minister of India, S Jaishankar, visited Panama in 2023, where both sides expressed their intent to enhance trade and investment ties. Shared values of democracy, multiculturalism, and secularism provide a strong foundation for future collaboration.
Mulino’s warm remarks come at a time when India’s global partnerships are expanding in both trade and strategic sectors, with Panama presenting itself as a gateway to Central America for Indian investments. The emphasis on economic and technological cooperation signals an alignment of interests, with both nations seeking to diversify trade and strengthen cross-regional integration.
Meanwhile, in New York, the United States also highlighted India’s growing importance in global energy trade. US Energy Secretary Chris Wright openly praised India, calling it a vital partner with whom Washington wants deeper energy ties, despite differences over oil imports from Russia.
“I am a huge fan of India. We love India. We look forward to more energy trade, more interactions back and forth with India,” Wright said at a press conference at the New York Foreign Press Centre.
He acknowledged that India faces difficult choices in balancing energy security with geopolitical pressures. Referring to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Wright said the war has disrupted global oil flows and noted that discounted Russian crude has largely been absorbed by China, India, and Turkiye. While he reiterated Washington’s preference that India reconsider Russian imports, Wright was careful to stress that the US does not intend to “punish” India for its decisions.
“There are lots of oil exporters in the world. India doesn’t need to buy Russian oil. India buys Russian oil because it is cheaper. Nobody wants to buy Russian oil; they have to sell it at a discount. India has decided to make the trade-off to buy cheaper oil and look the other way, which is giving money to a guy who’s murdering thousands of people every week,” Wright said.
At the same time, Wright stressed Washington’s desire to expand cooperation in cleaner and more sustainable energy. “We want to expand our energy cooperation with India in natural gas, coal, nuclear, clean cooking fuels, and liquid petroleum gas. We want nothing more than more trade and energy cooperation with India,” he added.
By bringing together voices from Central America and the United States, the discussions underscore India’s rising role in shaping global economic and energy landscapes. While Panama sees India as a trusted partner for investment and development, the United States views New Delhi as central to the evolving energy matrix. Despite differences over Russian crude, Washington’s intent to deepen collaboration reflects India’s strategic position at the crossroads of global politics, trade, and energy security.
As India continues to balance historical ties, strategic autonomy, and expanding partnerships, its relations with Panama and the US highlight the increasingly multi-layered nature of New Delhi’s diplomacy on the world stage.
