Panama has formally invited India to accede to the Treaty Concerning the Permanent Neutrality and Operation of the Panama Canal, reinforcing bilateral maritime cooperation and recognising India’s growing role in global trade and shipping.
The proposal was presented by Panamanian Foreign Minister Javier Eduardo Martínez-Acha Vásquez during talks with External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on 20 July. The invitation renews an earlier request made by Panama, which has been encouraging India to join the treaty since at least May 2025.
Speaking during the visit, Martínez-Acha said Panama aims to preserve the Panama Canal as an open, secure and efficient international waterway and sees India as a valuable partner in upholding those principles.
The Treaty Concerning the Permanent Neutrality and Operation of the Panama Canal declares the strategic waterway permanently neutral and guarantees the peaceful transit of vessels of all nations on equal terms during both peace and war. The treaty’s protocol is open for accession by all countries, with the Organization of American States (OAS) serving as the depositary.
India did not announce any decision on joining the treaty during the bilateral discussions.
The meeting also covered a broad range of areas including trade, investment, maritime cooperation, healthcare, agriculture, education, digital technologies and collaboration in multilateral forums.
Highlighting Panama’s strategic importance in global commerce, Jaishankar said, “Panama serves as a natural bridge for us for global trade routes as a gateway for the wider Latin America region. Anchored by the Panama Canal, your logistics infrastructure certainly sets a global landmark.”
Maritime cooperation featured prominently during the Panamanian minister’s visit. Martínez-Acha also met Director General of Shipping Shyam Jagannathan, with both sides advancing negotiations on a Maritime Transport Agreement and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Maritime Cooperation.
The proposed framework is expected to strengthen commercial shipping connectivity, fleet operations, regulatory cooperation and mutual recognition of seafarers’ professional certificates. Discussions also covered port and logistics investments, maritime security, digitalisation, training and the adoption of cleaner shipping technologies.
The Panama Canal, one of the world’s most critical maritime trade arteries, has been under Panamanian administration since 31 December 1999, following the implementation of the 1977 Panama Canal Neutrality Treaty signed between Panama and the United States.
If India eventually joins the neutrality treaty, it would further strengthen bilateral maritime ties with Panama while reinforcing its commitment to secure, rules-based and uninterrupted global shipping routes.
