On Thursday, External Affairs Minister, Mr. S Jaishankar, stated that during the COVID pandemic, India truly established itself as the worlds pharmacy, supplying nearly 100 countries with vaccines and at least 150 countries, including some from the developed world, with increased supplies of relevant medicines. While speaking at the India-Colombia Business Forum, he stated that the Indian industry is a natural partner for the Columbian population.

During a discussion of trade between India and Colombia, Mr. Jaishankar stated that while countries naturally seek to increase their volumes, the decision before us is when, where, and how much to invest, and that the pharmaceutical sector is particularly concerned with this challenge. He noted that the goal of the Indian government is to assess the comparative ease of doing business among the countries in the Colombian region.

The External Affairs Minister, at present, is on a 4-nation trip to Latin American countries. Before he visited Colombia, he went to Guyana and Panama. The EAMs tour to these four nations, as well as his bilateral engagements and exchanges with colleagues from significant regional bodies such as CARICOM and SICA, contribute to the momentum of India-Latin American ties.

Mr. Jaishankars trip to Colombia is Indias first foreign ministerial-level visit to the Latin American country. On Thursday, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met with his Colombian counterpart, Mr. Alvaro Leyva Duran. During the meeting, both leaders reviewed numerous bilateral topics and signed the Cultural Exchange Programme for 2023–26.

(Source: https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/policy/during-covid-india-truly-established-itself-as-pharmacy-of-the-world-eam-jaishankar/99833527 )