New Delhi, Apr 1 (UNI) President Droupadi Murmu received President Gabriel Boric Font of Chile at Rashtrapati Bhavan and hosted a banquet in his honour on Tuesday evening.
Acknowledging Chile as an important partner of India in the Latin America region, President Murmu emphasised the vast potential for enhancing cooperation across multiple sectors.
Both leaders agreed that there is a huge opportunity to further strengthen the bilateral relations and that this visit will add a new chapter in India-Chile relations, a statement said.
Earlier, PM Modi in posts on X said after holding talks with the Chilean President Gabriel Boric:
“India welcomes a special friend!
“It is a delight to host President Gabriel Boric Font in Delhi. Chile is an important friend of ours in Latin America. Our talks today will add significant impetus to the India-Chile bilateral friendship.
“We are keen to expand economic linkages with Chile. In this regard, President Gabriel Boric Font and I agreed that discussions should begin for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. We also discussed sectors like critical minerals, energy, defence, space and agriculture, where closer ties are achievable.
“Healthcare in particular has great potential to bring India and Chile even closer. The rising popularity of Yoga and Ayurveda in Chile is gladdening. Equally crucial is the deepening of cultural linkages between our nations through cultural and student exchange programmes.”
President Gabriel Boric, in posts on X, said:
“Representing Chile in a country that is the birthplace of the most ancient civilizations on Earth is an immeasurable honor. Especially since this visit has deepened our ties in trade, culture, art, technology, education, defense, and food.
“And also because in the meeting with Prime Minister Modi, we agreed to formally begin negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between our two countries within a timeframe, which fulfills one of the main objectives of our visit: to open new markets for Chile in the world's most populous country in uncertain times.”
“Chile reaffirms its commitment to integration and multilateralism with concrete actions and agreements. In turbulent times, no one stands alone.
“Cooperation is the way to jointly confront global challenges such as the climate crisis, the fragility of supply chains dependent on the temperament of a few leaders, waves of migration, economic growth, transnational crime, and inequalities in all their dimensions.
“We keep moving forward.”
UNI RN