Bengaluru, June 29 (IANS) Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister, G. Parameshwara, on Monday proposed a historic Sister City agreement between Bengaluru and Lima, the capital of Peru, saying the initiative would strengthen bilateral ties and pave the way for expanding India-Peru trade to $10 billion.

Speaking at a high-level diplomatic event organised in Bengaluru to commemorate the 205th Independence Day of the Republic of Peru and mark 63 years of diplomatic relations between India and Peru, Dr. Parameshwara said the Karnataka government is keen to establish a Sister-City partnership between Bengaluru and one of Peru’s key cities, preferably its capital Lima.

He said such an agreement would deepen cooperation between the two regions and create new opportunities for collaboration in trade, education and healthcare.

“The Karnataka government is eager to establish a historic Sister City agreement between Bengaluru and Lima to further strengthen our relationship with the Republic of Peru. This partnership will facilitate direct institutional cooperation and enhance exchanges in several sectors,” he said.

Recalling the historical ties between the two nations, the Deputy Chief Minister noted the similarities between Peru’s Latin American liberation movements and India’s freedom struggle led by Mahatma Gandhi.

Highlighting Karnataka’s economic strengths, Parameshwara said the state continues to lead India in the information technology and biotechnology sectors.

“Karnataka contributes over 40 per cent of India’s IT software development and biotechnology production, making it the country’s leading state in these sectors. The overwhelming success of the recent Global Investors Meet and the massive investments attracted during the summit further demonstrate Karnataka’s growing economic potential,” he said.

Expressing confidence in the proposed partnership, he said the Sister-City agreement would significantly strengthen institutional cooperation between Bengaluru and Peru in trade, education and healthcare, while serving as a stepping stone towards achieving USD 10 billion in bilateral trade between the two countries.

The event was attended by Peru’s Ambassador Javier Manuel Paulinich Velarde, Peru’s Honorary Consul in Bengaluru Vikram Viswanath, senior government officials, diplomats from various countries and leading business leaders from Bengaluru.

–IANS

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