Context:
On 8 May 2025, India and Chile signed the Terms of Reference (ToR) for negotiating a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). The first round of negotiations began on 26 May 2025 in New Delhi. Commitment reaffirmed during the State Visit of Chilean President Gabriel Boric Font to India in April 2025.
Objectives and Vision
- To foster deeper economic integration and strengthen global value chains between the two countries.
- To develop a balanced, ambitious, and mutually beneficial CEPA.
- To enhance bilateral trade diversification, investment promotion, and employment generation.
Key Highlights of the First Round
- Indian delegation led by Shri Vimal Anand, Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce.
- Chilean team headed by Mr. Pablo Urria, Director for Asia & Oceanic, Chile’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- Negotiations covered 17 thematic tracks, including:
- Trade in Goods & Services
- Movement of Natural Persons
- Rules of Origin (RoO)
- Sanitary & Phytosanitary Measures (SPS)
- Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT)
- Customs, Transparency, Dispute Settlement
- Economic Cooperation, MSMEs, Women’s Empowerment
- Sustainable Development, Strategic Minerals Trade
- Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), Investment Cooperation
