Panama is a Strategic Gateway to Global Trade and Opens New Opportunities for Indian Businesses, Says H.E. Miguel
Mr. Santosh Kotre, Director, Finance and Accounts, World Trade Center Mumbai; Dr. Vijay Kalantri, President All India Association of Industries and Chairman, World Trade Center Mumbai; H.E. Mr. Alonso Correa Miguel, Ambassador of the Republic of Panama; Ms. Priya Pansare, Senior Director, Trade Investment and International Relations; Mr. Roberto Rodríguez Prada, Consul General of Panama in Mumbai at WTC Mumbai.
“Panama can serve as a strategic gateway for Indian companies seeking to expand their presence across Latin America, the Caribbean and the wider Americas. Its strategic geographical location, the Panama Canal, strong maritime and logistics ecosystem, special economic zones and the Colón Free Trade Zone provide significant opportunities for Indian companies to establish regional distribution, warehousing, manufacturing and commercial operations,” said H.E. Mr. Alonso Correa Miguel, Ambassador of the Republic of Panama, during a high-level interaction with the MVIRDC World Trade Center Mumbai and All India Association of Industries.
“Indian companies can explore Panama not only as an export destination but also as a regional business platform from which they can serve multiple Latin American markets. Opportunities exist for establishing regional headquarters and distribution centres, particularly for companies in pharmaceuticals, chemicals, automobiles, motorcycles, engineering, consumer products and technology. Panama can help businesses address some of the challenges associated with entering individual Latin American markets, including logistics, local regulations, distribution networks and market-specific business practices,” said H.E. Mr. Miguel.
Mr. Roberto Rodríguez Prada, Consul General of Panama in Mumbai, said, “There is considerable scope to strengthen direct engagement between Indian and Panamanian businesses, particularly in pharmaceuticals, chemicals and manufacturing, with opportunities ranging from warehousing and distribution to assembly, testing, finishing and manufacturing within Panama’s special economic regimes. Indian companies with established customers across the Americas can potentially use Panama to improve regional market access, supply-chain efficiency and customer servicing.”
Dr. Vijay Kalantri, President, All India Association of Industries and, Chairman, MVIRDC World Trade Center Mumbai said, “India and Panama have strong complementary capabilities across pharmaceuticals, chemicals, manufacturing, engineering, automobiles, maritime services, logistics and technology. With bilateral merchandise trade currently at around US$600 million, there is significant potential to double this to over US$1.2 billion in the next two years through stronger B2B engagement, greater market awareness and focused cooperation in high-potential sectors. Panama’s strategic location and connectivity to the Americas can provide Indian companies with an effective platform for regional expansion.”
The interaction concluded with a shared commitment to strengthen India–Panama economic engagement through greater business-to-business linkages, sector-focused cooperation and sustained institutional engagement. Both sides emphasised the need to translate identified opportunities into concrete trade, investment and commercial partnerships, while leveraging Panama’s strategic position as a gateway and India’s strengths in manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, technology and entrepreneurship.
Regards,
Sangeeta Jain
Senior Director
All India Association of Industries (AIAI)