India and Argentina deepen cooperation in lithium, pharmaceuticals and agriculture
India and Argentina agreed to advance cooperation in lithium mining, pharmaceutical regulation and agricultural market access at their fourth Joint Trade Committee meeting. Bilateral trade exceeded $6.5 billion in 2025, rising more than 17% year on year.
Lithium project moves into a new phase
India and Argentina have agreed to broaden economic cooperation in lithium, pharmaceuticals and agriculture following the fourth meeting of their Joint Trade Committee in Buenos Aires. The talks reviewed progress on the roadmap established during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2025 visit to Argentina and covered investment opportunities in mining, energy and infrastructure.
A central element is the lithium project led by India’s state-owned Khanij Bidesh India Limited, known as KABIL, in Argentina’s Catamarca province. According to Jagran, the company has completed the second phase of drilling at the project, the first lithium mining initiative undertaken by an Indian company in Argentina. The two governments are also examining opportunities for cooperation in the provinces of Salta and Jujuy.
The work gives India a potential route to greater participation in an important source of battery raw materials. Its commercial significance will depend on drilling results, project development and the eventual terms for production and supply. The Joint Trade Committee did not disclose reserve estimates, prospective output, investment costs or a timetable for commercial production.
Argentina considers easier access for Indian medicines
Pharmaceutical regulation formed another major part of the discussions. Jagran reported that Argentina committed to work toward moving India from Annex 2 to Annex 1 under its pharmaceutical regulatory framework and to reduce market-entry barriers. If completed, the change could make the Argentine authorization process more accessible to Indian pharmaceutical companies.
The countries also agreed to build on a 2019 arrangement between Argentina’s National Administration of Drugs, Foods and Medical Technology and India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organization. The discussions included possible joint initiatives involving Ayurveda and yoga. The sources did not provide a deadline for the regulatory reclassification or identify individual medicines and companies expected to benefit.
For Indian manufacturers, implementation could widen access to the Argentine market. For Argentina, a smoother approval route could expand the range of Indian medicines available to buyers and healthcare providers. The practical effect will depend on the final regulatory requirements rather than the committee commitment alone.
Agricultural access and trade growth
The two sides also reported progress in technical discussions on sanitary and phytosanitary requirements. Products under consideration for improved access to Argentina include Indian onions, milk and dairy products, grapes, potatoes, bananas and pulses. These talks are particularly relevant to exporters because compliance with health and plant-safety rules is a prerequisite for commercial shipments.
Bilateral trade exceeded $6.5 billion in 2025 and increased by more than 17% year on year, according to NewsBytes and Jagran. Jagran said the result made India Argentina’s fifth-largest trading partner. The available source material did not provide a breakdown by product or trade direction, making it impossible to determine how much of the growth came from Indian exports or Argentine shipments.
The committee identified aviation, space technology, telecommunications and digital services as additional areas for cooperation, including 5G, artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure. The agenda is broad, but the most immediate commercial tests will be whether lithium exploration advances toward production, Argentina completes the pharmaceutical regulatory change and agricultural products receive the approvals required to enter the market.
