India and Chile have agreed to expand bilateral cooperation in several areas including trade, investment, health, pharmaceuticals, science and technology, mining, and education.
The development came during the visit of Kirti Vardhan Singh, Minister of State for External Affairs of India, to Chile from March 10 to 12, 2026.
Participation in Presidential Inauguration
During the visit, Kirti Vardhan Singh represented the Government of India at the inauguration ceremony of Chile’s new President, José Antonio Kast.
He also held meetings with President José Antonio Kast and interacted with the outgoing President Gabriel Boric. The discussions focused on strengthening the longstanding relationship between the two nations.
Areas of Cooperation
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, both sides agreed to deepen cooperation in several important sectors, including:
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Trade and investment
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Health and pharmaceuticals
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Traditional medicine
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Science and technology
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Mining and mineral exploration
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Agriculture
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Education
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Space cooperation
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People-to-people exchanges
Progress on Trade Agreement
The two countries also reviewed the ongoing negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement and expressed satisfaction with the progress made so far.
This agreement is expected to significantly enhance trade and economic relations between India and Chile.
Cooperation in Emerging Areas
Both sides also discussed expanding their partnership into new and emerging areas such as:
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Digital Public Infrastructure
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Innovation and technology
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Green energy
These sectors are expected to play an important role in future bilateral cooperation.
India Reaffirms Commitment to Partnership
During the visit, Kirti Vardhan Singh conveyed greetings from Droupadi Murmu, President of India, and Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, to the Chilean leadership.
He reaffirmed India’s commitment to building a strong and dynamic partnership with Chile, focusing on trade, technology, mining, development cooperation, and stronger people-to-people connections.
Significance
The visit helped further strengthen the longstanding diplomatic and economic relationship between India and Chile, while opening new opportunities for collaboration in modern sectors such as digital infrastructure, innovation, and green energy.