SANTIAGO: Seventh Round of Foreign Office consultations between India and Chile

SANTIAGO: The
7th Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) between India and Chile were held in
Santiago on 14 September 2021. The Indian side was led by Ms. Riva Ganguly Das,
Secretary (East) and the Chilean side was led by Ms. Carolina Valdivia Torres,
Vice-Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chile.

During the FOC, both sides comprehensively reviewed the entire gamut of their
bilateral relations which included trade and investments, defence, agriculture,
health and pharmaceuticals, energy, space, cooperation in Antarctica, disaster
management, cultural and consular issues.

Both sides exchanged views on the COVID-19 situation and the possibilities of
enhancing trade and investment partnerships in the post-pandemic economic
recovery.

The two sides acknowledged that trade is an important pillar of India-Chile
relations and expressed satisfaction at the ongoing negotiations for the
further expansion of the Preferential Trade Agreement which was signed in 2006
and expanded in 2017.

The two sides also exchanged views on regional and international issues on
common interest including cooperation in the United Nations and agreed to work
closely with each other in the multilateral arena.

The talks were held in a friendly and cordial atmosphere, with both sides
agreeing to maintain the momentum of dialogue in areas of interest through the
established bilateral mechanisms. Both sides agreed to hold the next round of
FOCs in New Delhi.