Chile Eyes Stronger Ties with India Through Trade, Culture, and Critical Minerals

In a major move towards furthering India-Chile relations, Chilean President Gabriel Boric Font landed in New Delhi to begin his official five-day visit throughout India. The visit will take him through major cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Agra, and Bengaluru.

President Boric had a high-level summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where both of them reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation in various fields like agriculture, critical minerals, and cultural exchanges.

Expanding Markets

While in an interview with NewsX Editor Megha Sharma, Chilean Minister of Agriculture Esteban Valenzuela explained how economic capabilities of the two nations go hand in hand, especially as far as agriculture and natural resources are concerned. He explained that Chile has aimed to access Indian markets for exports such as pork, cherries, and wine while expressing a desire for purchasing Indian products including mangoes, bananas, and cheese.

“Chile is a small country with a big impact in global exports. We’re number one in fruit exports to the Northern Hemisphere,” said Minister Valenzuela. He noted that recent MoUs signed between the two nations would open new doors for bilateral trade and joint growth.

CEPA and the Gateway Vision

Gabriel Leiva, director of the international department at Chile’s Ministry of Agriculture, outlined the larger strategy behind the alliance. “The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) is a giant leap forward. We would like to be India’s gateway to Latin America, as India provides Chile with access to Asia,” he said.

Collaboration Beyond Trade

The Chilean delegation also made inquiries into mutual scientific endeavors in Antarctica and cross-cultural cooperation. Minister Valenzuela appreciated India’s spiritual culture and Chile’s enthusiasm to achieve knowledge-sharing with practices such as yoga. He also mentioned cultivating closer people-to-people contacts between the nations.

Investment Opportunities

Both countries agreed to the need for the removal of tariff and non-tariff barriers to promote the ease of doing business. Chile issued an invitation to Indian businesses to venture into its mining sector, particularly copper extraction and lithium, vital materials in the move toward sustainable power globally.

B2B Engagements

On the visit, Chilean agri-business leaders met with Indian counterparts to discuss collaborations. Indian importers are greatly interested in growing imports from Chile, especially in the segment of fruits and niche foods, Indian importers say, Gabriel Leiva reported.

Cultural Ties

In a more lighthearted tone, Minister Valenzuela was thrilled at the potential for an Indo-Chilean film with a romance between a Chilean farmer and an Indian yoga instructor, representing the flowering of cultural friendship between the two countries.

With President Boric’s ongoing tour of India, the overall message is one of enhanced collaboration based on common democratic values, differentiated economies, and cultural respectfulness.