India, Ecuador look to deepen ties as Jaishankar meets Gabriela Sommerfeld

India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday met Ecuador’s Foreign Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld Rosero and discussed ways to deepen bilateral cooperation across a range of sectors, including trade, health, agriculture and digital development.

In a post on X, Jaishankar said that both sides explored opportunities to expand engagement in capacity building and agreed to work closely in multilateral forums.

He also welcomed Ecuador’s decision to initiate the process of joining the India-led International Solar Alliance and the International Big Cat Alliance, calling it a positive step towards stronger collaboration.

Jaishankar noted that an agreement on funding for Quick Impact Projects would further strengthen development cooperation between the two countries. These projects are aimed at delivering tangible benefits at the community level and enhancing India’s development partnership with Ecuador.

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Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal also met Sommerfeld and highlighted the importance of boosting economic ties.

In a social media post, Goyal said the meeting was “productive” and focused on strengthening trade and investment relations, as well as exploring new avenues of cooperation. He added that both sides were looking forward to deepening bilateral engagement.

Growing engagement

The latest meetings build on recent diplomatic exchanges between the two countries. In November last year, Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita visited Ecuador and held talks with Sommerfeld to enhance cooperation across key sectors.

During that visit, both sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between their diplomatic training institutions, aimed at strengthening institutional ties and capacity building. The discussions also covered areas such as political engagement, trade, pharmaceuticals and training.

The recent engagements reflect a growing momentum in India-Ecuador relations, with both countries seeking to expand cooperation in emerging areas..

As India continues to expands its outreach in Latin America, partnerships like these are expected to play a key role in advancing mutual economic and strategic interests.