India, Chile FTA Talks Progress

New Delhi, Mar 25 (PTI) India and Chile, a South American nation, on Wednesday discussed progress in negotiations for the proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries.

The issue came up for discussion during a meeting between the Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal and Chile's Vice-Minister of International Economic Relations Paula Estevez Weinstein in Yaounde, the capital city of Cameroon.

The secretary is there for the 14th ministerial conference of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The four-day meet will start on March 26.

"Discussed progress in India-Chile CEPA (comprehensive economic partnership agreement) negotiations, its early conclusion, and explored ways to further strengthen bilateral economic cooperation and trade," the Department of Commerce said in a social media post.


The pact with the South American nation may help India access critical minerals, which are key inputs for electronics, auto, and solar sectors.

India and Chile implemented a preferential trade agreement (PTA) in 2006 and are now negotiating to widen its scope for a comprehensive economic partnership agreement.

CEPA aims to build upon the existing PTA between the two nations and seeks to encompass a broader range of sectors, including digital services, investment promotion and cooperation, MSMEs (micro, small, and medium enterprises), and critical minerals.

The bilateral trade between India and Chile is modest. In 2024-25, India's exports to Chile were down 2.46 per cent to just USD 1.15 billion. Imports, however, grew 72 per cent to USD 2.60 billion.