Will India and Chile Conclude CEPA Negotiations Soon?
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Key Takeaways
New Delhi, Dec 9 (NationPress) India and Chile have reaffirmed their firm dedication to achieving a swift conclusion of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) negotiations, recognizing the strategic importance of further enhancing bilateral economic relations.
The fourth round of talks for the India–Chile CEPA successfully wrapped up, with a five-day session that featured intensive and constructive dialogue between the delegations from both nations, leading to significant advancements across various negotiation chapters, according to the Commerce Ministry.
During these discussions, Claudia Sanhueza, Treasury Undersecretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile, engaged with Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal.
“They emphasized that the CEPA, upon finalization, would be crucial in amplifying bilateral trade, deepening economic collaboration, improving market access, and generating new opportunities for enterprises in both nations,” stated the ministry.
Previously, the third round of India–Chile CEPA discussions took place in Santiago, Chile, from October 27-30. The talks addressed a broad spectrum of chapters, including Trade in Goods and Services, Investment Promotion, Rules of Origin, Intellectual Property Rights, TBT/SPS measures, Economic Cooperation, and Critical Minerals.
Last month, India and Chile conducted their ninth Foreign Office Consultations in Santiago, agreeing to fortify cooperation in pivotal sectors, such as trade, investment, connectivity, health and pharmaceuticals, traditional medicines, science and technology, mining and mineral exploration, defense, civil nuclear technologies, education, space, agriculture, and people-to-people exchanges.
India urged Chile to contemplate long-term agreements for the supply of mineral resources. During the session, officials from both countries concurred on diversifying bilateral relations into new and emerging areas of contemporary relevance, such as Digital Public Infrastructure, innovation, and green energy, as per a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).