Chile’s Foreign Minister, Alberto van Klaveren, recently concluded a three-day visit to India, where he met with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to discuss enhancing bilateral cooperation across various sectors, notably in trade, investment, agriculture, critical minerals, defense, and space. This engagement is seen as a significant step towards fostering relations not only between India and Chile but also as part of India’s broader strategic interests in Latin America.

Minister van Klaveren expressed admiration for Minister Jaishankar, noting the productive dialogue that focused on mutual interests in strengthening commercial ties. He highlighted Chile’s market potential for India, particularly in the minerals sector—emphasizing copper—and the agricultural domain where Chile exports products such as nuts and wines. The discussions included India’s growing interest in investing in Chilean lithium production, vital for electric vehicle development, as well as the prospects for Indian companies in copper mining.

Agricultural collaboration was another focal point, with discussions on increasing India’s exports of mangoes and pharmaceuticals to Chile. Minister van Klaveren underscored the strategic advantages of agricultural exchanges, given Chile’s capacity to supply off-season fruits from the southern hemisphere.

Furthermore, defense cooperation was also explored, with van Klaveren inviting Indian defense entities to engage more actively in defense exhibitions in Chile. This reflects a keen interest on both sides to enhance strategic defense dialogues.

Chile maintains strong economic relations with China and the United States but emphasizes the importance of diversifying its international partnerships. Van Klaveren articulated a desire for India to increase its presence in Latin America amidst a rapidly evolving global landscape.

On geopolitical issues, the minister condemned Russia’s actions in Ukraine while recognizing India’s potential as a mediator due to its unique relationships with both nations.

Finally, the Chilean Foreign Minister expressed optimism regarding the potential Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) negotiations, emphasizing Chile’s readiness to initiate discussions pending Indian internal consultations. He concluded by noting that there exists significant potential for deepening Indo-Chilean relations, which he hopes to promote further during his visit.

This visit marks an important chapter in the relations between India and Chile, paving the way for increased collaboration and economic integration in the region.

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