New Delhi: Chile is looking to strengthen its defence industry partnership with India, following a similar initiative with Brazil. This move highlights Chile’s interest in enhancing military cooperation and exploring opportunities for defence exports that align with its military needs, ET reported.
During a recent visit to India, Chilean Foreign Minister Alberto van Klaveren emphasized the importance of strengthening defence ties. This visit included discussions on potential collaborations in military technology and equipment, reflecting a broader strategy to modernize Chile’s military capabilities.
The discussions included potential defence exports and joint ventures, building on past collaborations such as the purchase of a support vessel by the Chilean Navy from India in 2020. Indian company Larsen and Toubro also supplied a naval ship to Chile previously.
The two nations are looking to upgrade their existing Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) to a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which would broaden the scope of trade beyond agriculture to include sectors like technology and digital services. This move is seen as crucial for both countries to enhance their economic ties and explore new markets.
The partnership is particularly significant given the changing dynamics in the Indo-Pacific region, where countries are increasingly focused on updating their military capabilities. Chile’s interest in collaborating with India is seen as a strategic move to bolster its maritime security and defence.
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