Honduras formally opened its embassy in New Delhi on Thursday with that country’s Foreign Minister Eduardo Enrique Reina Garcia present to do the honours.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar welcomed the move, stating, “Delighted to meet Foreign Minister Eduardo Enrique Reina of Honduras today. Honduras inaugurating its Embassy in New Delhi is a strong signal of our growing partnership. India values its relationship with Honduras and looks forward to enhancing cooperation across sectors.”
The Embassy’s opening is a strong expression of Honduras’ commitment to strengthening ties with India, a voice of the Global South. Honduras is a member of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), a regional bloc that shares many of India’s priorities, including equitable global development and sustainable growth.
A Reliable Partner in Times of Need
India’s role as a reliable development partner was highlighted when it dispatched 26 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Honduras in response to the devastation caused by Tropical Storm SARA in November 2024. The storm triggered severe flooding and landslides, displacing thousands and damaging infrastructure across the Central American nation.
This is not the first instance of India extending a helping hand to Honduras. From supplying medicines during the COVID-19 pandemic to donating medical supplies after natural disasters in 1998 and 2005, India’s development cooperation with Honduras has remained steadfast.
Growing Bilateral Engagement
For the first time, in 2022, Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakashi Lekhi visited Honduras and met President Iris Xiomara Castro Sarmiento, reinforcing India’s interest in expanding its diplomatic and developmental footprint in Central America.
India’s exports to Honduras have steadily increased, with bilateral trade reaching $288.77 million in 2022-23. Pharmaceuticals, textiles (especially cotton yarn), chemicals, automobiles (two and three-wheelers), industrial machinery, and electrical equipment make up a large portion of Indian exports.
Indian companies like Bajaj, Mahindra, Hero, and TVS already enjoy a strong presence in the region, with Bajaj auto-rickshaws becoming a staple in rural areas and TVS recently launching operations in neighbouring Guatemala. These developments suggest strong potential for Indian manufacturing and automobile sectors to further expand into Honduras and beyond.
Expanding Developmental Ties
India’s contribution goes beyond trade. Through the India-UNDP Fund, it has supported climate-resilient water and sanitation projects in Honduras. India also helped establish an IT Centre at the National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH) in 2008, which has trained over 20,000 students.
An irrigation initiative—the Jamastran Valley Project—funded through Indian lines of credit, is set to lay the groundwork for improved agricultural sustainability in Honduras.
Strategic Gateway to Central America
Honduras offers a strategic advantage for India’s broader engagement with Central America. With growing potential in IT, BPO services, education, and pharmaceuticals, Honduras can serve as a gateway for Indian products and services to enter the wider Central American market. The country’s geographical location also allows Indian IT firms to offer nearshore services to North American clients.
