Jaishankar meets Chile FM Mackenna, pushes CEPA and bilateral trade
Synopsis
India and Chile are moving beyond diplomatic pleasantries — with EAM Jaishankar, Commerce Minister Goyal, and business leaders all engaging Chilean FM Mackenna in a single visit, the two countries are signalling serious intent on CEPA, supply chain diversification, and tapping Chile's lithium and copper reserves for India's clean energy push.
Key Takeaways
Jaishankar met Chilean FM Francisco Perez Mackenna in New Delhi on 13 May 2025 .
Talks covered trade diversification, export promotion, services economy, and cooperation in multilateral forums.
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal separately reviewed progress on the proposed India-Chile CEPA over a breakfast meeting on Tuesday.
Mackenna is on a seven-day official visit to India that began on 9 May .
A business roundtable with Indian and Chilean business leaders also took place, focused on boosting trade and investment.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Wednesday, 13 May held bilateral talks with Chilean Foreign Minister Francisco Perez Mackenna in New Delhi, focusing on deepening cooperation across trade, investment, and multilateral engagement. The meeting is part of a broader diplomatic push as India actively pursues trade agreements with key global partners amid shifting supply chains and global economic uncertainty.
What Jaishankar Said
In a post on X, Jaishankar said he was "delighted to meet FM Francisco Perez Mackenna of Chile this morning" and described "a very good discussion on strengthening our bilateral cooperation to diversify markets and sourcing, promote export of priority items and facilitating the services economy." He added that both sides "agreed to work closely in plurilateral and multilateral formats."
Mackenna's Seven-Day India Visit
Mackenna arrived in New Delhi on 9 May for a seven-day official visit. Upon arrival, he posted on X that the trip would be "a great opportunity to strengthen ties between Chile and India further," expressing intent to deepen the partnership, expand trade and investment, and advance cooperation across a wide range of areas.
Commerce Minister Goyal Joins the Engagement
On Tuesday, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal held a breakfast meeting with Mackenna and members of the Chilean delegation. Following the discussions, Goyal said both sides reviewed the progress of negotiations for the proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and explored ways to further strengthen bilateral trade, investment, and strategic cooperation. "India values its warm and longstanding partnership with Chile, and we remain committed to expanding our economic engagement and people-to-people ties for shared growth and prosperity," Goyal said.
Business Leaders Join the Dialogue
Mackenna also participated in a roundtable with Indian and Chilean business leaders, with discussions centred on boosting trade and investment flows between the two nations. The engagement signals that the visit extends beyond government-to-government diplomacy into concrete commercial partnership-building.
Broader Context
The India-Chile diplomatic push comes as New Delhi accelerates trade agreement negotiations with multiple partners — from the Gulf Cooperation Council to the United Kingdom — to diversify export markets and supply chains. Chile, a major copper and lithium producer, holds strategic significance for India's clean energy and electronics manufacturing ambitions. With CEPA talks ongoing and high-level political will on both sides, the bilateral relationship appears poised for a meaningful upgrade in the months ahead.
Point of View
Commerce Minister Goyal, and a business roundtable all engaging the same Chilean delegation within 48 hours — is not accidental. India is treating Chile less as a peripheral Latin American partner and more as a strategic node in its critical minerals and supply chain diversification strategy. Chile holds the world's largest lithium reserves, and India's EV and clean energy ambitions make that geology geopolitically relevant. The CEPA, if concluded, would be India's first comprehensive trade pact with a South American country, a milestone that mainstream coverage has largely underplayed.
NationPress
8 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did EAM Jaishankar and Chilean FM Mackenna discuss?
They discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation to diversify markets and sourcing, promote exports of priority items, facilitate the services economy, and work together in plurilateral and multilateral formats. The meeting took place in New Delhi on 13 May 2025.
What is the India-Chile CEPA?
The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) is a proposed broad-based trade and investment pact between India and Chile, currently under negotiation. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal reviewed its progress with the Chilean delegation during a breakfast meeting on Tuesday.
Why is Chilean FM Mackenna visiting India?
Francisco Perez Mackenna arrived in New Delhi on 9 May for a seven-day official visit aimed at strengthening bilateral ties, expanding trade and investment opportunities, and advancing cooperation across multiple sectors.
Who else met the Chilean delegation during the visit?
Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal held a breakfast meeting with Mackenna on Tuesday to discuss CEPA and trade cooperation. Mackenna also participated in a roundtable with Indian and Chilean business leaders.
Why does India's engagement with Chile matter strategically?
India is actively diversifying its trade partnerships and supply chains amid global economic uncertainty. Chile is a leading producer of lithium and copper — resources critical to India's clean energy and electronics manufacturing goals — making the bilateral relationship strategically significant beyond conventional trade.
