SPECIAL REPORT
research. India and Paraguay could collaborate on space
some of the prominent regional blocs such as MERCOSUR,
technology development to be used by local bodies to create
UNASUR, the CELAC and OAS. A close relationship would
an information base and provide various services.
allow India to interact with other members of these groups
It has to be acknowledged that there is a lack of adequate
and expand its outreach. There are advantages to producing
knowledge
about Paraguay in India and of India in Paraguay.
in Paraguay for MERCOSUR markets in various sectors
This
gap
needs
to be urgently bridged to ensure that the two
including plastics, textiles, metalwork and others. Further,
nations
are
able
to look beyond a political and economic
Paraguay has a young workforce (66 percent of the population
relationship
towards
one that has strong cultural and people
is younger than 35 years of age), quality and low-cost materials,
to
people
roots.
India
also needs to build on its academic
macroeconomic stability, inexpensive clean power, sustainable
expertise
in
the
LAC
region.
This will help India not only
economic growth and access to other markets. In short,
understand
the
region
but
also
decipher the regionalism
Paraguay boasts the best investment climate in the region,
2
further.
It
was
also
a
point
that
was
highlighted in the Joint
along with a stable, solvent, predictable and reliable economy.
It also provides India with an opportunity to increase its ITC
Press Release on the visit of the Vice President of India to
programmes which have been a success in other nations of the
Paraguay which stated that “...two nations would facilitate
region. India can assist in providing IT training and helping set
promotion of exchanges between academics and universities
up an IT base in cities as identifi ed by Paraguay.
and also between travel professionals and stakeholders in
Ta k i n g t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p
forward, there are a number of
challenges that the two nations
face that are similar and also
global in nature. The United
Nations has applauded Paraguay
for the importance that it has
given to its native legumes to
help fi ght hunger. With nutritional
security a major concern for the
government of India, Paraguay
and India could work together to
ensure that farmers are provided
incentives to grow native food
pulses and legumes that are part of
the traditional diet of the people.
This would be a cost-effective
way of addressing both hunger
President M. Venkaiah Naidu at the tete-a-tete with the President of Paraguay
and nutritional security. Paraguay Vice
Mr. Mario Abdo Benitez in Asuncion
is also a powerhouse in terms of
agriculture production. India is an agriculture based economy
tourism.” 3 It has been reported that the University of Peace
with a majority of its population either directly or indirectly
will be establishing a Yoga chair, but a lot more has to be
linked to the sector. In such a situation, agriculture and agro
done with a concentrated study on India.
based industries should be explored for future collaboration
Tourism could be another area of mutual benefi t. The UN
between the two nations. Precision agriculture could be
World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) predicts that India
explored, however, it needs to be noted that landholdings in
will account for 50 million outbound tourists by 2020. They
India are smaller and thus the use of technology would have to
are also one of the highest spenders per individual. As more
be modifi ed for Indian conditions. India and Paraguay can also
and more Indians have disposable income, they are willing
focus on water saving irrigation methods along with research
to spend on vacations abroad. A large part of these outbound
on cultivation of plants that can withstand water stress. India
tourists are willing to explore new countries and are into
is also looking at bi-fertilisers and bio-pesticides but they
adventure tourism. Another great avenue to generate interest
need to be made more cost-eff ective for their large scale use.
among Indian tourists is through Indian fi lms. It has been
India is using its space technology know-how to support
noticed that visitors increase exponentially to countries where
its natural resource management, infrastructure planning,
Indian fi lms have been shot. As Indian aviation connects its
healthcare, education, emergency communication, disaster
smaller cities better, the number of international tourists from
management support, and space and atmospheric science
India will continue to rise.
PARAGUAY 2019 • 17