Argentina to ease pharma barriers as India trade tops $6.5 bn

Argentina has committed to reduce barriers to facilitate entry of Indian pharmaceutical sector in the South American nation, the commerce ministry said on Saturday.

This is expected to provide greater opportunities for Indian pharmaceutical companies and contribute to improving access to quality and affordable healthcare in Argentina, it said.

"Argentina has committed to work towards upgrading India from Annex II to Annex I under its pharmaceutical regulatory framework and reducing barriers to entry," it added.


The issue came up for discussions during the visit of Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal to Buenos Aires this week.

He was in the country for the India-Argentina Joint Trade Committee (JTC), which was held on August 24, 2026 at Palacio San Martín, Buenos Aires.

Bilateral trade between India and Argentina crossed USD 6.5 billion in 2025, registering consistent annual growth of over 17 per cent.

Investment opportunities across mining, energy and infrastructure were also discussed, including the continued engagement of India's KABIL in Argentina's lithium sector.

KABIL's mining activities in Catamarca, the first lithium mining initiative by an Indian company in Argentina, have progressed significantly with the completion of Phase II drilling, it said.

It added that emerging areas of cooperation, including aviation, space technology, telecommunications and digital services, were identified as areas offering further opportunities for both countries, particularly in 5G, artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure.

The visit was also important as India and Mercosure bloc are looking to expand the existing preferential trade agreement.

Mercosur is a trade bloc in Latin America comprising Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. The India-Mercosur PTA came into effect on June 1, 2009.

Progress on the Terms of Reference, along with the adoption of digital certificates of origin, is expected to facilitate trade and make cross-border commerce more efficient for businesses, it said.