ABOUT THE EVENT
India has stepped up its economic and commercial engagement with Latin America recently. But the overall trade has fallen over the past financial year, due to the drop in primary commodity exports from Latin America such as crude oil. In spite of this, India’s exports have kept pace with its important trade partners and new markets have opened. The recent finalisation of the expanded Preferential Tariff Agreement with Chile, ongoing negotiations with the 4-nation Mercosur to expand the PTA with that bloc, and forthcoming negotiations with Peru, bode well for an accelerated commercial relationship.
The broader economic relationship is thriving, with increasing corporate interest and investment in a wide range of sectors – extractive, manufacturing, services and a healthy exchange of technological expertise. The session will aim to explore the steps being taken to facilitate economic and commercial exchanges to realise the immense potential both regions offer each other.
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SPEAKERS
 | S K LAMBAH
Chairman, Ananta Aspen Centre and Former Special Envoy of the Prime Minister of India
Ambassador Lambah was the Special Envoy of the Prime Minister of India from 2005-14 with the rank of Minister of State from 2010 onwards. He was also the Co-Chairman of the Task Force on National Security 2011 – 2012. A distinguished diplomat, Ambassador Lambah was the President of Association of Indian Diplomats in 2005. |
| He was also a Convener of the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB) in 2004-05 and the President of the Federation of Indo-German Societies in India from 2005-2014. He was also the Special Envoy of the Government of India for Afghanistan and led the Indian delegation to the Bonn Conference on Afghanistan in 2001-02. In 2001, Ambassador Lambah Chaired a Committee on the Re-organization of Ministry of External Affairs and Indian missions abroad. Ambassador Lambah has served in several Missions abroad including as the Ambassador of India to the Russian Federation, Ambassador of India to the Federal Republic of Germany, High Commissioner of India to Pakistan, Consul General of India, San Francisco, and Ambassador of India to Hungary. He was Deputy Secretary General of the 7th Non Aligned Summit held in Delhi in 1983 and later Coordinator of the Commonwealth Heads of Governments meeting in India. His specializations include Economic Diplomacy and dealing with India’s neighbours. During his tenure as Consul General of India in San Francisco (1989-91) he was conferred a "Trustees' Citation" by the University of California, Berkeley in 1991 for his initiating, coordinating, and spearheading the campaign which generated over US$2 million in a short span of four months for Indian Studies, resulting in the creation of two Chairs of India Studies, a bi-annual lecture by a distinguished scholar from India, and an annual scholarship at the Graduate School of Journalism at U.C Berkeley. He is married to Nilima Lambah, author of "A Life across Three Continents - Recollections of a Diplomat's Wife". |
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 | PREETI SARAN
Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs
Mrs. Preeti Saran is the Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs. She has served until recently as the Ambassador of India to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and prior to that as the Indian Consul General in Toronto, Canada. Her earlier charges in the Ministry of External Affairs include that of Joint Secretary, SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) and Joint Secretary, Northern Division. She has also served in various capacities in Indian Missions in Geneva, Cairo, Dhaka and Moscow. She holds a Master’s degree in English Literature from Delhi University. |
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 | ANDRÉS BARBÉ
Ambassador of Chile to India
Ambassador Andres Barbe is currently the Ambassador of Chile to India. In his diplomatic career, he has served as Minister Counsellor of Embassy of Chile in Argentina (2012-2014), Minister Counsellor, Sub-director of Strategy Planning Division 2011, Minister Counsellor of Embassy of Chile in Peru (2006-2011), Sub-director of the Planning Division (2004 -2006), Charge d’ Affaires a.i., Kenya (2000 – 2002), Counsellor, Embassy of Chile in Kenya (2000 – 2004), First Secretary, Director of Information Technology and Communications Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1998 – 2000). |
| He has also served as First Secretary Embassy of Chile in Colombia (1994 – 1998), Second Secretary Embassy of Chile in Ecuador (1992 – 1994), Second Secretary, Head of the Department of Studies, Directorate of Human Resources, (1989 – 1991) Second Secretary and Consul, Embassy of Chile in Canada (1985-1989), Consul, General Consulate of Chile in Buenos Aires (1984), Strategy Planning Division (1982 – 1983). Ambassador Barbe holds a bachelor degree in History from Faculty of Humanities, University of Chile, Santiago and M.A. in African History, Faculty of Arts, University of Nairobi, Kenya. He also holds a Diploma in Trade and Investment Promotion from Carleton University Canada. Ambassador Barbe graduated from Diplomatic Academy of Chile “Andrés Bello”, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1981-1982). |
 | MARÍA CRISTINA UELTSCHI
Ambassador of Argentina to India
Before her current posting to India, Ambassador María Cristina Ueltschi has served in Nigeria, Spain, Russia and Chile. Among others, she has presided over the Professional Association of the Foreign Service -or the Argentine Diplomats Union- and the Center for Studies on International Policy. She also served at various positions in Ministry of Foreign Relations and Worship, Argentina. |
| She has also headed special Missions and attended meetings of the MERCOSUR consultation and Concertation Forum: Meeting of the Common Market Council and MERCOSUR Summits. Ambassador Ueltschi holds a degree of Law from Mendoza University. She is fluent in English, French and Italian and has a basic level of understanding of the Russian language. |
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| MODERATOR |
 | DEEPAK BHOJWANI
Adviser, Latin America & Caribbean, Ananta Centre & Former Ambassador of India to Colombia, Venezuela and Cuba
Ambassador Deepak Bhojwani joined the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) in 1978. He retired in February 2012. During his career, he was accredited as Ambassador in seven Latin American countries, resident in Colombia, Venezuela and Cuba, concurrent in Ecuador, Costa Rica, Cuba and the Dominican Republic, and was Consul General in Sao Paulo. He served abroad in three Continents – Asia (Indonesia and Malaysia), Europe (Spain and Czech Republic) and Latin America. |
| In the Ministry of External Affairs, he served in the Divisions dealing with Administration; West Asia and North Africa; US and Canada; and had a brief stint at the United Nations. Ambassador Bhojwani also served as Private Secretary to the Prime Minister of India, Mr P.V.Narasimha Rao for two years from 1994 to 1996, and as Special Assistant to the Minister of State for External Affairs and for Science and Technology, Mr K.R.Narayanan, from 1985 till 1988. He writes extensively on Latin America and its relations with India. He has written a book published in 2015 titled ‘Latin America, the Caribbean and India: Promise and Challenge’. He is currently a Consultant for Latin America and the Caribbean through his firm LATINDIA |
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