Chile and India focus on strengthening bilateral relations
Chilean Foreign Minister Alberto Van Klaveren emphasized the critical importance of enhancing bilateral relations with India during his two-day visit to the country. Arriving on Tuesday, Klaveren participated in the second India-Chile Joint Commission Meeting, co-chaired by Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
Klaveren hailed India as a crucial partner for Chile in the Latin American region, expressing admiration for the country’s growth and cultural heritage. “India is a very important partner for Chile. We see great potential in strengthening our relationship with India, especially in economic and political spheres,” Klaveren remarked. He also discussed advancing negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), expressing confidence in the process despite the expected time required to finalize the agreement.
Chile, with a projected trade value of USD 2,847 billion for 2023, views India as a significant market. In 2022, India was the 16th largest destination for Chile’s non-copper and non-lithium exports, totaling USD 560 million. Chile, which pioneered a Partial Scope Agreement (PSA) with India in 2007, expanded the agreement in 2017, providing tariff preferences for 1,110 Chilean products.
During the joint commission meeting, Jaishankar acknowledged Chile’s valuable contributions to the Voice of Global South Summits and noted the significance of Chilean President Gabriel Boric’s recent participation in the summit held on August 17. Jaishankar also highlighted that the previous commission meeting had been conducted virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Klaveren’s visit follows a series of diplomatic engagements between the two nations. In May 2023, Chile’s Ambassador to India, Juan Angulo, and Police Attaché Rafael Andres Tellez Benucci held discussions with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on collaboration against technology-enabled crimes and drug trafficking.
On Tuesday, Chile’s Minister for Agriculture, Esteban Valenzuela, met with India’s Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Ramnath Thakur. They discussed agricultural trade and market access issues, including opportunities for importing Indian mangoes and pomegranates into Chile. Thakur suggested expanding trade to include Indian roses, garlic, and kidney beans, while Chile expressed interest in importing Indian bananas and basmati rice, and adding walnuts, fruits, and vegetables to the trade list.
Both sides agreed to form a task force to address market access and sanitary concerns, underscoring their commitment to advancing agricultural cooperation. The meeting was attended by senior officials from both countries, including Chilean Ambassador Juan Angulo and representatives from Chile’s Ministry of Agriculture, alongside Indian officials from the Ministry of Agriculture.
