New Delhi, 29 August (H.S.): Argentina has committed to reducing barriers and facilitating greater market access for India’s pharmaceutical sector. The issue was discussed during Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal’s visit to Buenos Aires this week.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in a statement on Saturday that Argentina had committed to easing barriers to the entry of Indian pharmaceutical companies into its market. The move is expected to create broader opportunities for Indian drug manufacturers while improving access to quality and affordable healthcare in Argentina.

The ministry said Argentina had agreed to work towards upgrading India from Annex 2 to Annex 1 under its pharmaceutical regulatory framework and further reducing market-access barriers. The matter was discussed during Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal’s visit to Buenos Aires for the meeting of the India-Argentina Joint Trade Committee (JTC), held on August 24, 2026, at the Palacio San Martín.

The Indian delegation was led by Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal, while the Argentine delegation was headed by Ambassador Fernando Brun, Secretary for International Economic Relations.

During the meeting, the two sides also discussed opportunities for investment and cooperation in the mining, energy and infrastructure sectors. India and Argentina explored ways to deepen collaboration in lithium, energy and agriculture as part of efforts to expand bilateral economic engagement.

The ministry said bilateral trade between India and Argentina exceeded USD 6.5 billion in 2025, recording sustained annual growth of more than 17 per cent.

The commitment to facilitate access for Indian pharmaceutical companies is expected to strengthen economic ties between the two countries and provide Indian drug manufacturers with greater opportunities in the Argentine market.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar