R. Viswanathan is the former Indian Ambassador to Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay (2007-2012). He was earlier the Ambassador to Venezuela and served as the first Consul General of India in Sao Paulo, Brazil. He has headed the Ministry of External Affairs’ division on Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as its Investment and Trade Promotion Division. He has specialised in Latin America since 1996 and has been a regular contributor to newspapers and business journals, besides giving lectures on the subject at think tanks and universities across India, Latin America and the United States. He speaks Spanish and Portuguese. A self-confessed Latinophile, Ambassador Viswanathan is an avid reader of Latin American literature and admirer of Latino culture.
He is fluent in Tamil, Spanish, English, Portuguese and Portuñol.
Mexico is now being increasingly referred to as the ‘China of the Americas.’ With the Mexican government introducing reforms in several sectors, and thereby easing the scope of business, how can India –which is slowly expanding its footprint in Latin America – benefit from Mexico’s rise?
In 'India-Latin America Engagements', the Latin America Desk at Gateway House presents a selection of news of India’s engagement with the region during the previous month
In ‘India-Latin America: An Alliance for the Future,’ Soraya Caro questions the mutually distorted perceptions between Indians and Latin Americans, and offers a new multi-dimensional lens for looking at bilateral ties
In 'India-Latin America Engagements', the Latin America Desk at Gateway House presents a selection of news of India’s engagement with the region during the previous month
After revelations that the U.S.’s NSA spied on her, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has ordered a series of measures to ensure online independence and called for an equitable global internet infrastructure. India can follow Brazil’s lead and make its communication systems less vulnerable
Like Brazil, many other countries in Latin America have implemented successful poverty-alleviation programmes, including cash transfers, as part of an overall strategy for reducing inequality. These programmes can be a model for other developing countries
India’s extreme dependence on imported energy often renders our economy vulnerable in the face of geopolitical changes. Given the high financial viability, India, being the world’s second-largest producer of sugarcane, should emulate Brazil by replacing petrol with ethanol as fuel.
Brazil, despite the presence of good leadership, several consistent and successful development programs, and recording their lowest unemployment rate, witnessed widespread protests this June – triggers for which weren't conventional. What are the Brazilians protesting against, and what does it indicate?
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