Source: Government of India
Source: Government of India (4)
External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar on Thursday inaugurated the Embassy of Honduras in New Delhi, calling the event a significant milestone in the growing partnership between the two nations.
Dr. Jaishankar said that it marked a new chapter in bilateral relations. He also expressed appreciation for Honduras’ strong message of solidarity with India in opposing terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
The establishment of the Honduran Embassy is expected to enhance diplomatic engagement, promote economic cooperation, and deepen cultural exchanges between the two countries.
Tracing the evolution of bilateral ties since the establishment of diplomatic relations on 28 September 1994, Dr. Jaishankar noted that the relationship has grown steadily across political, commercial, developmental, and cultural domains. He highlighted that bilateral trade currently stands at approximately USD 310 million and spans a diverse range of goods, including pharmaceuticals, textiles, automobiles, and machinery. India, in turn, imports coffee, wood, and leather from Honduras.
Dr. Jaishankar said that Indian businesses were showing increasing interest in the renewable energy and IT-enabled services (ITES) sectors in Honduras. He pointed to the recent Memorandum of Understanding signed between Reliance Jio and Hondutel, Honduras’s national telecom operator, for the rollout of 5G infrastructure. According to him, it represents a “significant step in digital connectivity and technological innovation.”
He went on to emphasize that the Embassy would serve as a hub for trade promotion, facilitating business-to-business connections and enabling greater institutional support for bilateral initiatives. “We see this as an opportunity to encourage more investment partnerships and to share our developmental experiences,” he added.
The Minister also mentioned ongoing cooperation under the framework of Global South solidarity. In this context, he announced plans to install an early warning disaster management system in Honduras, developed by India’s Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), to enhance the country’s resilience against natural disasters.
On the multilateral front, Dr. Jaishankar acknowledged Honduras’s consistent support for India at the United Nations and other international forums. He also noted the positive contribution of the small but vibrant Indian diaspora in Honduras, which he said acts as a “living bridge of friendship” between the two nations. The growing interest in Indian culture, yoga, and wellness practices in Honduras was another encouraging sign of deeper people-to-people ties, he said.
Reflecting on India’s wider engagement with the Latin American region, Dr. Jaishankar said that when he assumed office six years ago, he had committed to increasing India’s diplomatic and developmental footprint in the region. The opening of the Honduran Embassy in New Delhi, he noted, is a reaffirmation of that promise and a sign that such efforts are bearing fruit.
Finally, the External Affairs Minister extended his warmest congratulations to the Honduran delegation and expressed hope that the newly inaugurated mission would pave the way for more intensive interaction and collaboration between the two countries in the years ahead.