Ecuador’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility, Gabriela Sommerfeld Rosero, accompanied by Deputy Minister Alejandro Davalos, completed a two-day official visit to New Delhi aimed at deepening cooperation across trade, healthcare, agriculture and digital infrastructure.
The visit, which began on April 29, included a meeting between Foreign Minister Sommerfeld and India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. Both sides reiterated commitments to expand collaboration in healthcare and pharmaceuticals, agriculture, trade and investment, digital technology, cultural exchange, capacity building and multilateral engagement. During the meeting, Ecuador formally notified India of its decision to join the International Solar Alliance and the International Big Cat Alliance.
India and Ecuador signed a memorandum of understanding for Indian grant assistance under Quick Impact Projects (QIPs). Under the pact, India will provide up to Rs. 12 crore in grant support over five years for socio-economic development projects in Ecuador intended to improve local community wellbeing and public services.
Sommerfeld also met Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal to discuss a roadmap toward a Preferential Trade Agreement. Talks addressed ways to scale up Indian pharmaceutical exports to Ecuador and explored supply-chain partnerships for critical minerals such as copper and gold.
In meetings with Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda, both countries sought to advance bilateral health cooperation with an emphasis on affordable healthcare solutions and advanced medical systems. They discussed creating a technical institutional mechanism to facilitate initiatives such as recognition of the Indian Pharmacopoeia by Ecuador and agreed to pursue a memorandum of understanding on health cooperation between their health ministries.
To learn about affordable medicine models, Minister Sommerfeld visited the Jan Aushadhi Kendra at AIIMS, New Delhi, to compare medicine pricing and explore adapting similar approaches in Ecuador.
Inspired by India’s Digital Public Infrastructure, the Ecuadorian delegation examined possibilities for implementing UPI-style payment systems, Direct Benefit Transfer mechanisms, unique digital ID systems similar to Aadhaar, and cooperation on artificial intelligence.
Beyond official talks, Sommerfeld paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat, participated in a roundtable with Indian industry leaders hosted by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and inaugurated the Cultural Center of Ecuador at the Ecuadorian Embassy in New Delhi.
The visit follows India’s opening of a resident embassy in Quito in November 2025 and underscores growing ties between the two countries as they pursue expanded cooperation across economic, health and digital fronts.
