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Content last updated:
24 May 2026
Updated on 28 April 2026
I - Political Relations:
India-Chile relations have traditionally been characterized by warmth, friendship and a commonality of views on a wide range of issues. Both countries cooperate extensively in multilateral fora and share similar views on climate change/renewable energy and on expansion and reforms of the UNSC. Chile articulated its support for India’s claim to a permanent seat in the UNSC in a Joint Statement issued at the conclusion of the official visit of Chilean Foreign Minister to India in April 2003, and has consistently reiterated this support since then. Chile shares India’s concerns regarding the threat of international terrorism and has condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
Bilateral relations have strengthened over the years with exchange of high-level visits, which include Prime Minister level visit in 1968 and three Presidential visits in 1995, 2008 and 2019 from the Indian side, and three Presidential visits in 2005, 2009 and 2025 from the Chilean side. Several other visits at the level of Cabinet Ministers, parliamentary delegations etc. have helped in furthering the relations.
In 2009, India and Chile celebrated 60 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations which coincided with the visit to India by the then President of Chile, H.E. Dr. Michelle Bachelet Jeria. That visit was in reciprocation to the visit of then Hon’ble President of India, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil to Chile in 2008. Hon’ble President Mr. Ram Nath Kovind visited Chile (30 March to 1 April 2019) marking the 70th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations. MoS for External Affairs, Smt Meenakashi Lekhi participated in the Curtain Raiser event of International Day of Yoga on 4 May, 2022 in Santiago during her two day visit to Chile. The incumbent President Mr. Gabriel Boric Font visited India in April 2025 making the 75 years of the completion of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
During MoS (VK)’s visit to Chile in May 2018, an MoU was also signed on the establishment of a high-level Joint Commission. The first India-Chile Joint Commission Meeting was held virtually on 16 October 2020, co-chaired by India’s External Affairs Minister and Chilean Foreign Minister. The second Joint Commission Meeting co-chaired by External Affairs Minister and Chilean Foreign Minister was held in New Delhi in August 2024. The 8th round of India-Chile Foreign Office Consultations was held in New Delhi on March 2023.
India and Chile have signed Agreements/MoUs covering various fields of cooperation such as Science and Technology, Antarctica, Defence, Air Services, Agriculture, New and Renewable Energy, Education, Geology and Mineral Resources, and Gainful employment of spouses and eligible dependents of diplomatic personnel.
A parliamentary delegation led by Shri Jagdambika Pal, Hon’ble Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha visited Chile from 11-15 January, 2025 for participation in the Summit meeting at the Congreso Futuro (13th January) and the 3rd Third World Summit of the Committees of the Future (14th January) and exchanged views with Chilean parliamentarian on a wide range of issues.
II - Trade and Economic Relations:
Chile is the 5th largest trading partner of India in the LAC region. The bilateral trade between India and Chile in the last five years is tabulated below:
| Year | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Export from Chile to India | 836.06 | 1,125.12 | 1,702.15 | 1,351.58 | 2,598.94 |
| Imports from India to Chile | 709.15 | 1,246.10 | 1,421.70 | 1,315.08 | 1,244.09 |
| Total Trade | 1,545.21 | 2,371.22 | 3,123.85 | 2,666.66 | 3,843.03 |
Source: Chile Customs Agency
India’s exports to Chile had been growing steadily since 2009, with the exception of a slight decrease in 2014, when a new carbon tax on diesel vehicles in Chile adversely affected motor vehicle exports from India, but the sector saw a big recoveIndia and Chile have traditionally enjoyed friendly relations. Chile was among the first countries to recognize Indian independence. Bilateral relations have strengthened over the years with exchange of high-level visits, which include PM level visit in 1968 and three President level visits from India in 1995, 2008 and 2019 and three Presidential visits from Chile in 2005, 2009 and 2025. Several other visits by Ministers, senior officials and parliamentary delegations have also helped in furthering the relations.
2. Chilean President Gabriel Boric participated in Leaders’ Session of VOGSS 3.0 through a pre-recorded message in August 2024. He met Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 19th November, 2024 on the sidelines of G-20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro and discussed deepening of relations in various fields including pharmaceuticals, technology, space and Ayurveda.
3. President Boric paid a State visit to India from 1-5 April, 2025 and undertook a comprehensive review of the bilateral relations with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. The visit resulted in signing of several documents and opening up of new avenues for further development of cooperation in trade, mining and mineral resources, health and pharmaceuticals, ICT, agriculture, green energy, traditional medicine, Antarctica, Science & Technology, management of natural disasters, Startups and audiovisual co-production. The visit also resulted in the launch of negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.
4. The second Joint Commission Meeting co-chaired by EAM and Chilean Foreign Minister was held in New Delhi in August 2024, where they reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations. The 9th round of the India-Chile Foreign Office Consultations co-chaired by Secretary (East) and Chilean Secretary General of Foreign Affairs was held in Santiago in November 2025 to follow up on the issues discussed during the VVIP visit.
5. Minister of State for External Affairs Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh visited Chile from 10-12 March, 2026 to represent the Government of India at the inauguration of the new President of Chile H.E. Mr. Jose Antonio Kast Rist. During the visit, he held bilateral meeting with President Kast and interacted with outgoing President Gabriel Boric Font. The discussions focussed on strengthening bilateral partnership in various fields including trade, investment, critical minerals and green energy. They also expressed satisfaction at the progress of the negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.
6. India and Chile have signed several Agreements/MoUs for cooperation in Trade, S&T, Agriculture, Health, New and Renewable Energy, Education, Outer Space, Antarctica, Defence, Air Services, Avoidance of Double Taxation etc. An MOU for cooperation in Disability Sector was signed in April 2026.
Trade and Commerce
7. Chile is the 5th largest trading partner of India in the LAC region. The bilateral trade increased from USD 3.84 bn in 2024 to USD 5.38 bn in 2025. In 2024, exports to Chile were USD 1.24 bn and imports from Chile were USD 2.59 bn. In 2025, Indian exports to Chile increased to USD 1.41 billion (14% increase) while imports from Chile increased to USD 3.97 billion (53% increase, mainly due to increased gold imports from Chile).
8. India’s export to Chile comprises of automobiles, pharmaceuticals, electric machinery and equipment, clothes / textiles / shoes, chemicals, Agri and food products, iron & steel products, leather goods etc. whereas India’s imports from Chile have been confined to bulk minerals and ores (mainly Copper concentrate, Molybdenum, Iodine and recently Gold as well), inorganic chemicals, Agri products such as fruits etc. Prominent Indian companies which have either presence or some kind of representation in Chile are TCS, Infosys, Godrej, Wipro, Dr. Reddy, Seven Pharma, Siron Pharma, MSN Laboratories, UPL, Bajaj Auto, Tata, Mahindra, Apollo Tyres, Ashok Leyland, Sterling & Wilson, Tega Industries, Kalpataru Power and Vega Industries.
9. Indian investment in Chile (based on the information given by various companies) is estimated at US$ 620 million. Indian companies have entered the Chilean market by acquiring Chilean companies or by setting up joint ventures. Chilean investment in India is estimated to be US$ 118 million.
10. India-Chile Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) came into effect from September, 2007 covering 474 tariff lines. The scope of the PTA was expanded to 2829 tariff lines in September 2016. PTA came into force in 2017. The two countries have launched negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement for which Terms of Reference were finalized in April 2025 during VVIP visit. Since then, four rounds of negotiations have been held both in India and Chile with last round in New Delhi in December 2025.
11. India was the Guest of Honour country at the IV International Meeting of Los Rios Region of Valdivia, Chile from 9-12 October, 2025. This event brought together regional leaders, business delegations and international partners for cooperation in trade, technology, culture and education. The event resulted in intensified interactions with regional authorities, industry leaders and academia. These interactions opened avenues in ICT collaboration, digital connectivity, academic exchanges and innovation partnerships.
12. India participated as Guest of Honour Country at ETM Day, 2025, an innovation, entrepreneurship and investment event in Santiago in November 2025. A large Indian pavilion was set up at the event by Indian Embassy in partnership with Indian companies showcasing a mix of Indian innovations, technologies, culture and education. The event helped in highlighting India's leadership in AI, Machine Learning, digital innovation and emerging technologies. This was the first time any country had received this distinction, underscoring the growing depth of India-Chile relations. Leading Indian companies such as Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys and Kalpataru Projects participated in the event showcasing their strengths in artificial intelligence, digital innovation, manufacturing and emerging technologies. The India Pavilion was inaugurated by the then President of Chile Gabriel Boric. The event served as an integrated platform for technology showcase, investment promotion and business networking, complemented by B2B meetings and policy interactions.
Defence
13. An MoU on ‘Defence Cooperation was signed in January, 2007. Since then, cooperation has been in the form of training, ship visits and adventure activities etc. Defence sales to Chile have been limited and primarily include protective gear, helmets, armoured vehicles etc. Chilean Navy procured an Anchor Handling Towing Supply and Standby ocean support vessel from Larsen & Toubro Shipbuilding in March 2020. A defence delegation comprising of representatives of Defence PSUs and some private companies participated in EXPO-NAVAL, one of the largest naval exhibitions in Latin America from 3-6 December, 2024 and showcased a wide range of defence products. Only one Indian company participated in FIDAE, a major aerospace and defence exhibition in Latin America.
Space
14. One satellite belonging to Chile (SUCHAI-1) was launched by PSLV in 2017 as a co-passenger on commercial arrangement with Antrix, ISRO’s commercial wing. ISRO was earlier interested in setting up a ground station in Puenta Arenas, Chile but is now not interested. In view of the reforms in India’s space policy, and setting up of IN-SPACE (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre), the cooperation needs to be divided in R&D and Training under ISRO and satellite building, launch and operation and worked out separately.
15. Three officials from Chile have participated in ISRO’s training programme called UNNATI (UNispace Nanosatellite Assembly & Training as part of UNISPACE+50 initiatives).
Mining
16. An Indian mining delegation visited Chile in April 2024 to participate in World Mining Congress and CRU World Copper Conference. On the sidelines, Secretary (Mines) met Chilean authorities to explore the possibility of long-term supply of copper and other mineral resources to India. In April 2025, a large mining delegation visited Chile for an international conference and held wide-ranging talks with Chilean stakeholders for expanding cooperation in the field of mining. The two countries have decided to negotiate a separate Chapter under CEPA for cooperation in critical minerals.
17. Of late, several Indian mining companies have visited Chile to explore opportunities in mining sector. Coal India Ltd. has recently approved setting up an intermediate holding company in Chile to pursue critical minerals opportunities including lithium and copper in association with international partners. Other companies are also at various stages of negotiations for acquiring mining assets / exploring collaboration opportunities in mining sector. Codelco, the Chilean state-owned copper company signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Kutch Copper Ltd. (a subsidiary of India's Adani Enterprises) to explore three copper projects in Antofagasta and Atacama regions of Chile. The non-binding agreement aims to facilitate exchange of technical and legal information regarding the projects and outlines the conditions for Kutch Copper to undertake due diligence and address commercial aspect for potential joint development. The MOU follows earlier understanding between the two companies on regular and long-term supply of copper concentrate to Adani Group's modern smelter in Mundra, India.
Health
18. In 2025, Chile's pharmaceutical imports amounted to US $1.66 billion with US$ 216.50 million import from India. India was the top supplier of pharma products to Chile in 2025. The next two top suppliers were Germany (USD 190.9 million) and United States (USD 182.1 million).
19. As of now, only those pharmaceutical products are imported into Chile which are registered with Chilean regulatory bodies. The registration process is lengthy, costly and time consuming. We have been requesting Chilean authorities to fast track or give suo-moto approval for Indian pharmaceutical products manufactured in USFDA/ European Medicines Agency (EMA) / Good Manufacturing Practices (WHO-GMP) approved plants in India as these products have already approvals from stringent regulatory authorities like USFDA/EMA. However, Chilean side has been reluctant to relax their regulations.
20. We have also made a proposal for recognition of Indian Pharmacopoeia, which is presently under the consideration of Chilean authorities. The recognition of Indian Pharmacopoeia can facilitate supply of high-quality generic drugs manufactured in India which are available for supply at affordable prices. Standard draft MOU for recognition of Pharmacopoeia was shared with Chilean side in September 2023. Subsequently, a set of Indian Pharmacopoeia was also shared in March 2024. The proposal is under examination in Chilean Ministry of Health/Institute of Public Health (ISP) and their response is still awaited.
21. There are around 7-8 Indian pharmaceutical companies operating in Chile, including well known names like Dr. Reddy’s Lab, Seven Pharma, Ascend Laboratories, Emcure Pharma, MSN Pharma, etc. Some Indian businessmen have also started new pharmaceutical companies and registered them as Chilean companies that source pharmaceutical products from India. There is also scope for exporting medical devices from India to Chile.
22. CENABAST, Chilean government agency for pharmaceutical procurement had signed an MOU with State Trading Corporation of India for supply of affordable generics from India to Chile. However, the MOU has not been activated yet as CENABAST has not placed any order so far.
23. An agreement between the drug regulators (CDSCO from Indian side and ISP from Chilean side) for cooperation in the field of drug regulation was signed in October 2024. The Indian side has proposed to hold the first meeting of the JWG under this MOU.
24. A large Indian business delegation of over 80 pharmaceutical companies visited Chile from 2-3 February 2026 and participated in India-Chile Pharmaceutical Business Forum. They participated in 580+ B2B meetings with Chilean counterparts. A key highlight of the visit was the signing of an MOU between CENABAST and Pharmexcil for developing institutitional framework for cooperation in pharmaceuticals.
25. While Ayurveda is gaining popularity in Chile, it is not recognized as part of the traditional healthcare system. Recognition of Indian Pharmacopoeia and Ayurveda in Chile will not only help in easy accessibility but also increase the uptake of medicines. Official recognition to Ayurveda could go beyond bringing holistic relief and improving overall health and well-being of the society in Chile to opening up of several commercial opportunities.
26. A draft MOU for Cooperation in Traditional Systems of Medicine and Homeopathy was shared with Chile in 2019 and but there was no response from Chilean side until March 2025 when they suddenly expressed readiness to sign the MOU without making any changes in the draft. However, by that time the Indian draft MOU had been updated. The updated draft MOU needs to be shared with the Chilean side for their consideration.
Antarctica Cooperation
27. India and Chile signed an MoU for cooperation in Antarctica in 2008. The Chilean side initiated a video conference meeting with the Ministry of Earth Sciences and NCPOR on 6th July, 2021 to discuss possible cooperation in Antarctica. Both sides inter-alia shared their specific projects and programmes in the region and agreed on the importance of the protection of environment of Antarctica and the need to work on the Climate Change impact on the continent.
28. In May 2024 India hosted the 46th edition of the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting, also known as the Antarctic Parliament, in Kochi, Kerala which was attended by a large Chilean delegation.
29. A Letter of Intent (LOI) for India-Chile Antarctica Cooperation was signed during visit of President of Chile to India in April 2025. Ministry of Earth Sciences is the nodal entity on the Indian side. President of Chile has issued an official invitation to Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to visit Chile with a joint visit to Antarctica.
30. Recently, a proposal to prepare a documentary on India-Chile collaboration on Antarctic issues has been approved by the Ministry. The shooting for documentary is expected to commence shortly.
ITEC
31. 25 slots are offered to Chilean civilian candidates every year and there has been a good response especially in courses for English language, IT skills, legislative drafting, Audit, E-governance, Renewable Energy and Environmental Technologies. Cumulatively, 389 Chilean candidates have so far attended ITEC training courses in India. In April/May 2025, a customized ITEC course on ‘Big Data and Machine Learning with Python in Cloud’ was organized for 14 officials of Comptroller General of Chile. Slots were increased to 35 for the CFY 2025-26 given increase in ITEC applications. On the defence side, ITEC slots are offered regularly but uptake has not been satisfactory.
Culture
32. Indian culture is very popular in Chile. There are a number of local Yoga schools (Kundalini Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Bikram Yoga etc.) and practitioners. Chile has declared November 4 as National Yoga Day. Ayurveda is also slowly gaining popularity with the establishment of a few Ayurveda institutes/clinics. Organizations such as ISKCON, Brahmakumari Samaj and Art of Living are also flourishing. There are a few Hindu Temples in Chile.
33. The origins of the Indian community in Chile can be traced back to 1905. Currently, it is estimated that there are around 4000 Overseas Indians (1850 NRIs and 2150 PIOs) living in Chile. The majority are from the Sindhi community who are mainly engaged in business, and have integrated well into the Chilean society. In addition, there is a constant flow of professionals, post-doc scholars and businessmen from India, working mainly in the ICT and financial services sectors, restaurants and Chilean universities.
34. In recent times, Mission has conducted several high-impact public diplomacy initiatives to enhance awareness and affinity for India. A notable event was the Curtain Raiser for International Day of Yoga 2025 at the National Congress of Chile in Valparaíso, organized in collaboration with the Chilean Parliament. The event, attended by parliamentarians and officials, projected Yoga as a holistic practice linking wellness, culture and tourism. Cultural performances and Indian tea promotion further enriched the experience, creating a comprehensive soft-power outreach. A similar event was held in in the northern city of Iqiqui, where a large number of India diapora member have established businesses.
Multilateral
35. There is commonality of views on a wide range of issues between India and Chile. Chile shares India’s concerns over the threat of international terrorism and has regularly condemned the acts of cross-border terrorism that India has suffered. Both countries cooperate extensively in multilateral fora and share similar views on expansion and reforms of the UNSC.
36. Chile openly supports India’s claim to a permanent seat in the UNSC. During his address at UNGA in September 2024, Chilean President reiterated his country’s support to permanent membership of UNSC.
37. Chile has signed and ratified the International Solar Alliance Framework Agreement. Chile has also joined the Indian initiative of Coalition of Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.
38. Chile has conveyed its support to India for becoming an Associate Member of Pacific Alliance. Presently, India has an observer status.
39. In September 2025, Chilean government along with Brazil and Mexico, had decided to nominate former President Michelle Bachelet as a candidate for the next UN Secretary General. However, the new government led by President Kast has recently withdrawn its support to her candidature.
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Annexure-I
List of high-level visits exchanged between India and Chile
Visits from India to Chile |
|
1968 |
Smt. Indira Gandhi, Hon’ble Prime Minister |
1995 |
Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma, Hon’ble President |
2003 |
Parliamentary delegation led by Shri P.M.Sayeed, Hon´ble Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha. |
2004 |
Air Chief Marshal S.Krishnaswamy, Chief of the Air Staff. |
2005 |
(i) Shri Pranab Mukherjee, Hon´ble Defence Minister |
2006 |
General Joginder Jaswant Singh, Chief of the Army Staff. |
2007 |
(i) Shri Rao Inderjit Singh, Hon´ble MoS for Defence. |
2008 |
Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil, Hon’ble President |
2009 |
General Deepak Kapoor, Chief of the Army Staff. |
2010 |
Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia, Hon’ble MoS for Commerce & Industry |
2011 |
(i) Shri Dinsha J. Patel, Hon’ble MoS for Mines. |
2012 |
(i) Smt. Meira Kumar, Hon’ble Speaker of the Lok Sabha. |
2013 |
(i) Shri Salman Khurshid, Hon’ble Minister for External Affairs. |
2014 |
(i) Shri J.D.Seelam, Hon’ble MoS for Revenue. |
2016 |
Parliamentary delegation led by Dr. Sunil Baliram Gaikwad, Hon’ble Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) |
2017 |
A two member delegation led by Dr.Kodela Siva Prasada Rao, Hon’ble Speaker of Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly, as part of post-conference study tour in connection with the 63rd Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference 2017 held in Dhaka. |
2018 |
Bilateral visit by H.E. General V.K. Singh, Hon’ble MOS for External Affairs (22-24 May) |
2018 |
H.E. General VK Singh, Hon’ble MOS for External Affairs led the Indian business delegation to the CII India-LAC Business Conclave (30 September – 3 October) and formally launched the Gandhi@150 celebrations. |
2019 |
H.E. Shri Ram Nath Kovind, Hon’ble President of India visited Santiago on 31 March – 01 April, 2019. |
2019 |
Shri Dr. V. K. Saraswat, Member, NITI Aayog, with MoS Rank, with delegation to discuss cooperation in the mining sector with specific reference to Lithium (September) |
2022 |
Smt Meenakashi Lekhi, MOS for External Affairs & Culture visited Santiago on 4-5 May 2022. |
2022 |
Shri Girish Chandra Murmu, Comptroller & Auditor General of India visited Santiago on 23-29 November 2022. |
2024 |
Shri V. K. Kantha Rao, Secretary(Mines) for participation in World Mining Congress and CRU World Copper Conference (April). |
2025 |
A parliamentary delegation led by Shri Jagdambika Pal, Hon’ble Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha from 11-15 January, 2025 for participation in the Summit meeting at the Congreso Futuro and the 3rd Third World Summit of the Committees of the Future. |
2025 |
Shri P. Kumaran, Secretary (East), MEA for co-chairing India-Chile Foreign Office Consultations on 10th November. |
2026 |
Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh, Minister of State for External Affairs represented India at the inauguration of President Jose Antonio Kast Rist (10-12 March) |
|
|
Visits from Chile to India |
|
2003 |
(i) Ms. Maria Soledad Alvear, Minister for Foreign Affairs |
2005 |
(i) H.E. Mr. Ricardo Lagos Escobar, President. |
2006 |
H.E. Mr. Jaime Gazmuri, Vice Speaker of the Senate of Chile |
2007 |
(i) General Ricardo Ortega Perrier, Commander-in-Chief of Chilean Air Force. |
2009 |
H.E. Dr. Michelle Bachelet Jeria, President. |
2011 |
H.E. Mr. Jorge Pizarro Soto, President of Senate of Chile. |
2012 |
(i) H.E. Mr. Alfredo Moreno Charme, Minister for Foreign Affairs. |
2013 |
H.E. Mr. Luis Mayol, Minister for Agriculture |
2015 |
H.E. Mr. Eduardo Frei, Special Envoy to the Asia-Pacific, and ex-President of Chile. |
2017 |
H.E. Mr. Eduardo Frei, Special Envoy to the Asia-Pacific and ex-President of Chile. |
2018 |
H.E. Mr. Fidel Espinoza Sandoval, President of Chamber of Deputies, led a seven member Parliamentary delegation to India. |
2018 |
H.E. Mr. Antonio Walker Prieto, Minister for Agriculture. |
2019 |
H.E. Mr. Eduardo Frei, Special Envoy to the Asia-Pacific and ex-President of Chile, accompanied by Mr. Rodrigo Yanez, Vice Minister of Trade and a business delegation (August) |
2023 |
H.E. Mrs. Claudia Sanhueza, Undersecretary of International Economic Relations (23-25 October) |
2024 |
H.E. Mr. Alberto Van Klaveren, Minister of Foreign Affairs for Joint Commission Meeting (August) |
2024 |
H.E. Mr. Esteban Valenzuela, Minister of Agriculture (August) |
2025 |
H.E. Mrs. Claudia Sanhueza, Undersecretary of International Economic Relations (March) |
2025 |
H.E. Mr. Gabriel Boric Font, President for State visit (April) |
2025 |
H.E. Mrs. Claudia Sanhueza, Undersecretary of International Economic Relations (December) |