Argentina’s business community bid farewell to Indian Ambassador Dinesh Bhatia and his wife, Seema Bhatia, at a dinner in the Buenos Aires Sheraton on Wednesday evening.

Bhatia, who has been in Argentina since August 2019, will depart for Brazil in May. A date for the new ambassador’s arrival has yet to be announced.

Attendees at the India-Argentina Business Council’s business summit included Vice President Villarruel, Mendoza Governor Alfredo Cornejo, and former Vice President Gabriela Michetti, as well as business leaders including Hernán Villares of New Garden, Pablo de la Fuente and Francisco Cinque of ADVANTA, and Valeria Lieste of AGCO.

Villarruel thanked Bhatia for his work strengthening India’s ties with Argentina. “His work has allowed our nations to develop closer trade, cultural, and human ties,” she said. She highlighted both countries’ respect for values such as freedom and human dignity, as well as the countries’ potential to strengthen their links in terms of food security and energy technology. 

“I cannot neglect to mention and thank India’s historic backing of the Argentine Republic on the question of the Malvinas Islands at the United Nations,” she highlighted.

Bhatia gave thanks to Argentina and spoke of his affection for the country in a speech to the assembled dinner guests. “Several people have commented in recent weeks that it is a sad moment. But according to Indian philosophy, everything that starts comes to an end, and that end is the start of a new life,” he said. 

“As such, our departure from Buenos Aires is not the end of our relationship with Argentina. Seema and I are leaving half Argentinized, or half porteñized, since the incredible city of Buenos Aires has become our second home. We hope to return soon to relive the wonderful five and a half years we have spent here.”

The India-Argentina Business Council seeks to strengthen and diversify trade ties between the two countries. It was launched in October 2020 by Bhatia and Matías Kulfas, Argentina’s minister of productive development at the time. 

It currently has 36 members, including companies and business chambers from both countries. These include Café Martínez, Techint, Globant, Los Grobo, Tata Consultancy Services Argentina, Tech Mahindra, and Glenmark Pharma.

Editorial disclaimer: Although the UK refers to the territory as the “Falklands Islands,” Argentina strongly contests this name. The Buenos Aires Herald uses “Malvinas” to refer to the islands.