Modi in Argentina for G20: Only second time that PM visits South America

New Delhi, Nov 29: He had been to the Latin American continent for his second tour abroad after becoming the prime minister in May 2014. Prime Minister Narendra Modi went to Brazil for a four day trip between July 13 and 16 that year to attend the sixth BRICS Summit. Modi on that occasion had visited the cities of Fortaleza and Brasilia and besides meeting the BRICS leaders and also with each leader on the sidelines of the visit.

He spoke with the then Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff over expanding bilateral tries. The prime minister also met with leaders from South America and said India's trade with the continent has shown growth in the recent past. "In a globalised and inter-connected world, our destinies are inter-linked. We are all bound, by shared aspirations and common challenges. We all have a stake in each other's success," he said.

Modi said there is a scope to achieve a lot more in the relation between India and South America. "From hydrocarbons to pharma, textiles to leather, engineering goods to automobiles; the range of opportunities is enormous. We must utilize, the Preferential Trade Agreement between India and the MERCOSUR Trade Block, and Chile, more effectively," he said.

However, Modi's next visit to the South American continent is taking place after over four years when he headed for Argentina for the 13th G20 Summit. Modi will reach Buenos Aires on Thursday (November 29) night and at the summit set to kick off on Friday, November 30, the prime minister is expected to speak on the volatility of oil prices which has had an impact on the Indian economy, besides digital revolution and Skill India, an All India Radio report said.

But does the gap between Modi's first and second visits to South America as the prime minister suggest that India is not taking the distant continent as seriously? Argentina will be the 59th country for Modi to set his foot on. Modi has paid a single visit to 40 countries while he has visited 10 countries twice, two countries thrice and four countries four times. He has visited the world's two biggest economies - the US and China - five times each.