Prime Minister Narendra Modi met President Yamandu Orsi of Uruguay on July 7, 2025, on the sidelines of the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with a central focus on expanding the India-MERCOSUR Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA). The discussions covered the entire spectrum of bilateral relations, including digital collaboration, ICT, digital public infrastructure (such as UPI), defence, railways, health and pharmaceuticals, agriculture, energy, culture, and people-to-people linkages.

A major highlight of the meeting was the shared interest in expanding the India-MERCOSUR PTA, with both leaders aiming to unlock greater economic potential and enhance trade complementarities between India and the MERCOSUR bloc, which comprises Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, and Paraguay. 

The PTA, originally signed in 2004 and operational since 2009, currently covers tariff concessions on 450 Indian and 452 MERCOSUR tariff lines, focusing on a limited range of goods such as meat, chemicals, hides, leather, wool, cotton yarn, pharmaceuticals, essential oils, plastics, rubber, and machinery. Both sides are now seeking to broaden the agreement’s scope to include more products and deeper tariff reductions, in line with long-standing proposals and ongoing negotiations.

Prime Minister Modi expressed gratitude to President Orsi for Uruguay’s strong condemnation of the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam and appreciated Uruguay’s solidarity with India in the fight against terrorism. The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to developing a forward-looking bilateral partnership and highlighted the importance of strong India-Uruguay ties for the Global South. Modi also noted the growing popularity of Yoga in Uruguay as a positive sign for strengthening people-to-people connections.

During the BRICS Summit, Modi emphasized India's intention to redefine the BRICS grouping under its upcoming chairmanship, focusing on “Building Resilience and Innovation for Cooperation and Sustainability.” He reiterated India’s commitment to prioritizing the concerns of the developing world, as demonstrated during its G20 presidency, and promised a people-centric, inclusive approach for BRICS as well.

The meeting with President Orsi was part of a broader diplomatic outreach to Latin America during Modi’s five-nation tour, which included bilateral engagements with leaders from Brazil, Argentina, Cuba, and Bolivia, underscoring India’s strategic intent to deepen cooperation with the region.

Based On ANI Report