“Panama is far more than the Canal. We are a global logistics hub, an international financial centre and a nation committed to open markets.” With this message, Panama’s Foreign Minister Javier Eduardo Martínez-Acha Vásquez made a strong pitch for a deeper strategic and economic partnership with India during a reception hosted in his honour in New Delhi.
Addressing diplomats, business leaders and policymakers, the minister presented Panama not merely as the home of one of the world’s busiest waterways but as India’s gateway to more than 700 million consumers across Latin America and the Caribbean.
The reception, organised at the Taj Mahal Hotel, formed part of the Foreign Minister’s five-day official visit to India from July 19 to 23. It was attended by ambassadors from Latin America and other regions, senior government officials, industrialists, investors, members of the diplomatic community and media representatives.
The visit has included delegation-level talks with External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar at Hyderabad House and other ministers, reflecting the growing emphasis both countries are placing on expanding cooperation in trade, investment, logistics, maritime connectivity and strategic affairs.
A Gateway to the Americas
Rather than focusing solely on traditional diplomacy, Martínez-Acha devoted much of his address to explaining why Panama could become India’s principal commercial platform in the Western Hemisphere.
“What if the next great chapter of India’s global rise does not begin in Asia, nor Europe, but in the heart of the Americas—my country, Panama?” he asked.
He argued that the international economy is entering a new phase shaped by supply-chain diversification, artificial intelligence, digital commerce and geopolitical uncertainty. According to him, businesses are increasingly asking not where production is cheapest, but where investments are secure, logistics are resilient and access to multiple markets can be achieved from a single location.
“Today they ask different questions: Where are our investments protected? Where are our logistics resilient? Where can we reduce geopolitical risk? Those questions all point to one place—Panama,” he said.
Beyond the Panama Canal
While acknowledging that the Panama Canal remains the country’s best-known strategic asset, the minister argued that modern Panama offers far more than a maritime passage connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
He described Panama as a logistics and financial hub supported by world-class ports, the Colon Free Zone, Latin America’s largest aviation hub, a fully dollarised economy, an international financial centre and a stable regulatory framework.
“We are far more than a waterway,” he said, adding that the country’s infrastructure has been designed “to reduce distance between continents, between producers and consumers, between ideas and opportunities.”
The Foreign Minister also highlighted Panama’s plans to invest more than US$20 billion over the next eight years in logistics infrastructure, ports, energy, water systems, digital technologies and human capital, inviting Indian companies to participate in these projects.
Expanding India–Panama Economic Relations
Martínez-Acha suggested that Panama could serve as a regional base for Indian pharmaceutical companies, technology firms, manufacturers, cybersecurity providers and digital service companies seeking to expand across Latin America and the Caribbean.
“Imagine your company becoming the bridge between India and 700 million consumers across the Americas,” he said. “Imagine your innovations improving lives across an entire hemisphere.”
He also encouraged greater collaboration through business missions, research partnerships, manufacturing alliances, technology transfer and educational exchanges, arguing that economic cooperation should extend beyond trade into innovation ecosystems.
Canal Neutrality and Strategic Cooperation
An important strategic objective of the Foreign Minister’s visit has been Panama’s effort to strengthen international support for the continued neutrality of the Panama Canal, one of the world’s most important maritime trade routes.
As geopolitical tensions increasingly influence global shipping and supply chains, Panama has been engaging major partners, including India, to reinforce confidence in the canal as a neutral, secure and reliable international waterway. The issue figured prominently in the broader discussions during the minister’s engagements in New Delhi.
Historical Ties and Shared Values
The minister also reflected on the historical relationship between the two countries, recalling the contribution of Indian workers to the construction of the Panama Canal and acknowledging India’s longstanding friendship with Panama.
“I recall the support we got from India… supporting the cause of Panama to recover the Canal,” he said, describing it as an important chapter in bilateral relations.
He argued that India and Panama are “natural partners” because both are democracies that believe in open markets, innovation and international cooperation.
Reception Highlights Growing Engagement
Earlier in the evening, Panama’s Ambassador to India Alonso Correa Miguel welcomed the gathering and reiterated the embassy’s efforts to deepen bilateral engagement despite the geographical distance between the two countries.
He described Panama as a trusted logistics hub connecting Asia with the Americas and invited Indian businesses to utilise the country’s infrastructure to access markets throughout the region.
The reception reflected the growing interest among diplomats and business leaders in strengthening India–Panama ties at a time when India’s engagement with Latin America is expanding steadily.
Concluding his address, Martínez-Acha argued that the emerging international order would increasingly be shaped by trusted partnerships rather than efficiency alone. “I do not ask you only to invest in Panama,” he said. “I ask you to imagine… The Americas are not waiting. India is rising. Panama is ready. Let us build this story together.”
His remarks encapsulated the central message of the visit: Panama seeks to position itself not only as the custodian of one of the world’s most strategic waterways but also as India’s preferred economic, logistics and investment gateway to the Americas.
