New Delhi, Apr 1: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday described Chile as an "important friend and partner" for India in Latin America and reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening cooperation across various sectors, including Antarctica exploration, health security, trade, and strategic partnerships.

PM Modi welcomed Chilean President Gabriel Boric Font and his high-level delegation to India on his first State Visit.

Addressing a joint press conference, PM Modi highlighted the growing bilateral relations and underscored the need to further expand collaboration.

"Chile is an important friend and partner country for India in Latin America. In today's discussions, we identified several new initiatives to enhance cooperation in the coming decade. We welcome the growth in mutual trade and investment. We agree that there is also untapped potential for more cooperation in this," PM Modi said.

The Prime Minister revealed that both sides have directed their teams to initiate discussions on a comprehensive economic partnership agreement, which is expected to further boost trade ties. He also emphasised the significance of collaboration in critical minerals, resilient supply and value chains, and agricultural cooperation to ensure food security.

PM Modi further stated that India is willing to share its expertise with Chile in digital public infrastructure, renewable energy, railways, and space technology. He noted the strategic importance of Chile as a gateway to Antarctica and welcomed the letter of intent signed between the two countries to enhance cooperation in this crucial region.

The Prime Minister also highlighted India's contribution to Chile's health security and expressed a commitment to deepening collaboration.

"India has been a reliable partner in ensuring the health security of Chile. We agreed to further deepen this cooperation," Boric said.

Highlighting cultural ties, PM Modi lauded Chile's decision to adopt November 4 as National Yoga Day, calling it an "inspiring" gesture.

He also emphasised the importance of traditional medicine, Ayurveda, and defence cooperation, pointing out that both nations are working towards enhancing industrial manufacturing and supply chains in the defence sector.

At the global level, both leaders agreed on the need to resolve conflicts through dialogue and called for reforms in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and other global institutions to effectively address contemporary challenges.

"India and Chile agree that all tensions and disputes should be resolved through dialogue. We agree that reforms in the United Nations Security Council and other institutions are necessary to face global challenges. Together, we will continue to contribute to global peace and stability," PM Modi said.

Drawing attention to the deep-rooted connections between India and Chile, the Prime Minister also highlighted the geographical and cultural similarities between the two nations, citing the Himalayas of India and the Andes mountains of Chile as examples.

He also noted that Chilean Nobel laureate Gabriela Mistral found inspiration in the works of Rabindranath Tagore and Aurobindo Ghosh, emphasising the strong cultural ties between the two nations.

"Chile's literature has also been appreciated in India. The growing interest of Chilean people in Indian films, cuisine, and classical dances is a living example of our cultural relations," he said.

Recognising the Indian diaspora in Chile, PM Modi thanked the Chilean government for its support.

"Nearly 4,000 people of Indian origin who consider Chile their home are the custodians of our shared heritage. I express my gratitude to President Boric and his government for taking care of them. We welcome the agreement reached today on the cultural exchange programme between the two countries. We also discussed simplifying the visa process and increasing student exchanges between India and Chile," he added.

The Prime Minister expressed optimism that President Boric's visit would infuse new energy and enthusiasm into bilateral relations.

"This energy will give new momentum and direction to our bilateral relations as well as our cooperation in the entire Latin America region. I wish you a pleasant visit and stay in India," he said.

President Boric, in response, expressed his gratitude to PM Modi for the warm reception and reiterated Chile's commitment to enhancing bilateral ties.

"We share our relations with India, and the possibilities of the potential which have not been explored yet should be worked upon. Today, we have come here to consolidate the seven decades of our relationship with India," Boric said.

He underscored the importance of strengthening commercial ties, investments, and critical mineral cooperation, which are essential to addressing global climate change challenges.

Boric highlighted cultural exchanges between the two nations and Chile's efforts to attract Bollywood to its film industry.

"This visit has been marked by cultural exchange. We are working together to bring the potent audiovisual industry from India to our country through the 'Shoot in Chile' programme, which we are going to present for film creation in Chile. What we also discussed in the meeting is the tremendous importance of what India has done with its Bollywood presence," he noted.

Discussing Antarctica, Boric emphasised Chile's strategic position and invited PM Modi to collaborate on research and exploration.

"Chile considers Antarctica as one of its most important issues. It serves as a gateway to Antarctica, and we have invited Prime Minister Modi to visit Antarctica. We have signed a cooperation deal in the area of exploration, covering major areas where we can work together with India regarding Antarctica," he said.

As part of the visit, several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were exchanged, including agreements on Antarctica cooperation, cultural exchange programmes, and disaster management. The leaders expressed confidence that the agreements signed would pave the way for deeper engagement between the two nations.

"We are initiating a visit that will bring about significant decisions in the future. We will be staying in Agra, Bangalore, and Mumbai with various agendas. We are here with major authorities, parliamentarians, scientists, innovators, startups, students, professors, and practitioners of yoga and Ayurveda," Boric stated.

He concluded by thanking PM Modi for his leadership in strengthening South- South cooperation and reinforcing bilateral engagements.

--IANS

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