MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chile advances trade deal with India

Boric set in motion a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with India

In light of the “tariff war” sparked by US President Donald Trump, Chile's Gabriel Boric Font is on a six-day visit to India to strengthen trade ties, meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and local business leaders. Boric announced the start of negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, akin to a free trade deal, to diversify Chile’s export markets in response to global uncertainties.

Boric emphasized Chile’s commitment to multilateralism and cooperation to address challenges like climate change and economic instability, highlighting a nearly 1000% increase in food exports to India over the past decade, including significant rises in fruits like apples (67.5%) and cherries (67.6%).

“With India, we complement each other economically, and we still have a lot of potential to develop. A great example of this is our food exports, which have increased almost 1000% in the last decade,” Boric wrote on X.

“Chile reaffirms with facts and concrete agreements its vocation for integration and multilateralism. In turbulent times, no one is saved alone. Cooperation is the way to face together global challenges such as the climate crisis, the fragility of supply chains dependent on the temperament of a few leaders, migratory waves, economic growth, transnational crime and inequalities in all their dimensions,” he added.

“Diversifying our economy and exports is vital in the face of unilateral decisions such as the tariffs announced by the United States for various countries. From India, where we are precisely reaching new agreements for our products,” he further noted.

In Mumbai, Boric promoted Chile as a filming location for Bollywood, part of the “Shoot in Chile” initiative, envisioning productions in scenic areas like Patagonia and the Huasco Valley. ”If at some point Bollywood decides to film in the flowery desert, we have to generate the conditions to do so while preserving and taking care of our nature. The same in Torres del Paine (...). We want to be an attractive destination for the Indian audiovisual industry,“ the President also pointed out.

His tour is to finish in Bangalore, India’s ”Silicon Valley,“ where he would be arriving early Friday with the spotlight on technology and innovation, including an ”Innovation Summit“ and meetings with local officials.

Boric’s efforts aim to position India as a key ”global south” ally for Chile, countering the impact of US tariffs and enhancing economic resilience. He is due back in Chile on Sunday, where he will be met with shocking news such as the expulsion of Isabel Allende from the Senate.