Article Posted on : - Apr 02, 2025

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of Chile Gabriel Boric Font prior to their meeting at Hyderabad House, in New Delhi, Tuesday, April 1, 2025. A PTI Photo

NEW DELHI (PTI): India and Chile have announced starting negotiations on a comprehensive economic partnership pact as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chilean President Gabriel Boric Font held wide-ranging talks focusing on boosting the ties in areas of trade, defence, critical minerals and health.

Describing Chile as an important "friend and partner" for India in Latin America, Modi on Tuesday said several new initiatives were identified to enhance overall cooperation in the coming decade.

Boric, accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising ministers, members of Parliament, senior officials and business leaders, is on a five-day state visit to India.

Following Modi-Boric talks, the two sides signed four documents including a letter intent for cooperation in Antarctica.

"India and Chile may be at different ends of the world map, there may be vast oceans separating us, but nature has linked us with unique similarities," Modi said in his media statement.

He further said: "The waves of the Indian Ocean flow with the same energy in India as the waves of the Pacific Ocean touch the shores of Chile."

The two leaders also committed themselves to the vision of a rules-based international order that respects sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations, ensures freedom of navigation and overflight as well as unimpeded lawful commerce, according to a joint statement.

It said Modi and Boric encouraged the two sides to work together to explore substantial areas for bilateral defence cooperation, including capacity building and defence industrial collaboration.

Both the leaders agreed to share knowledge in developing and enhancing each other's capabilities under the existing formal defence cooperation agreement in place.

The Indian side expressed its desire to receive and train Chilean military in areas of mutual interests, the joint statement added.

In his remarks, the prime minister said India is ready to share its positive experience with Chile in the areas of digital public infrastructure, renewable energy, railways, space and others.

"We welcome the growth in mutual trade and investment. We agree that there is also untapped potential for further cooperation in this," he said.

"Today we have instructed our teams to begin discussions on a mutually beneficial comprehensive economic partnership agreement."

The prime minister further said that the India-Chile partnership will be strengthened in the field of critical minerals and work will be done to establish resilient supply and value chains.

In the field of agriculture, cooperation will be done to ensure food security by combining each other's capabilities, he said.

"The growing cooperation in the field of defence is a symbol of our deep mutual trust. We will move forward to create defense industrial manufacturing and supply chains in this area according to each other's needs," Modi said.

"We will increase cooperation between the agencies of both the countries to face common challenges like organised crime, drug trafficking, terrorism," he said.

"At the global level, India and Chile agree that all tensions and disputes should be resolved through dialogue," he noted.

The prime minister also noted that India and Chile are "unanimous that reform of the United Nations Security Council and other institutions is essential to face global challenges". Together we will continue to contribute to global peace and stability, he said.

Both sides also signed an agreement on the cultural exchange.

"We also considered simplifying the visa process between the two countries. We will also continue to make efforts to increase student exchange between India and Chile," Modi said.

He said the Chilean president's visit to India has created a "new energy and enthusiasm" in the relations.

"This energy will give new momentum and direction to our bilateral relations as well as our cooperation in the entire Latin America region," he said.

The joint statement said both the leaders expressed their happiness on signing of the letter of intent to strengthen existing Antarctic cooperation, which will further facilitate partnership in conservation of Antarctic marine living resources