New Delhi, Jan 12 India and Chile are close to concluding a bilateral comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) with four rounds of talks already having been completed on the issue, Chile’s Ambassador, Juan Angulo, said on Monday.
The agreement would boost bilateral trade and investments as well as services, the envoy said in an interaction with IANS.
"We hope that with the CEPA negotiations, we will increase the presence of more companies and industries from Chile and India in terms of investments," he added.
The decision to sign a CEPA was taken at a meeting between Chile’s President, Gabriel Boric, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi in April 2025.
"I signed the terms of reference in May. And two weeks after that, we had the first round of negotiations in Santiago. Then we have had three rounds, so we finished the fourth round of negotiations very recently," the Ambassador said.
"We are looking forward to ending this process soon, in the very last round of negotiations," he added.
India and Chile already have a preferential trade pact in place, and the CEPA will usher in a new phase in the bilateral economic relationship, he added.
The envoy pointed out that Chile has been working in many areas to deepen and expand its relationship with India.
"The commercial part is one on CEPA, but we also have, for instance, agriculture. We signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the field of agriculturea couple of years ago, on the exchange of information and transfer of technologies. There are working groups meeting in that area," he added.
Angulo further stated that an agreement has been signed for cooperation in science and technology, while India and Chile could also collaborate in the field of startups, which is an area of mutual interest.
"We have also signed an agreement on Antarctica. And we are trying to boost the scientific research that both countries can do together. There are many areas for future cooperation," he added.
The Ambassador also said that he was happy to see that India was boosting its relationship with the EU.
"At the end of the month, leaders of the European Union will come for the Republic Day celebrations. There is news that maybe the free trade agreement between India and the European Union will be signed or will be finalised. We are on the same path in fostering trade agreements," he added.
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