Chile Pushes for Stronger Bilateral Ties with India

Chile's Minister of Agriculture, Esteban Valenzuela, emphasized the need for enhanced cooperation with India in agriculture, technology, and trade. Highlighting their existing strong ties with the United States, Canada, Europe, and China, Valenzuela stressed the importance of 'more India' for mutual benefits, focusing on agricultural advancements and market expansions.

Chile's Minister of Agriculture, Esteban Valenzuela, has called for deeper cooperation with India in a bid to strengthen bilateral relations across agriculture, technology, and trade. Speaking on Wednesday, Valenzuela highlighted Chile's strong trade ties with countries like the United States, Canada, and China, but stressed the need for 'more India' in this mix.

Valenzuela cited India's expertise and production capacity in agricultural machinery, such as tractors, as essential for Chile's agricultural sector. 'Chile needs more Mahindra pickup trucks and Indian tractors, including electric tractors,' Valenzuela told ANI. He also mentioned a need for Indian agricultural products like bananas and mangoes, emphasizing trust, business, and sustainability.

The minister also expressed a desire to export more Chilean wine to India and collaborate on rural development. 'Chile is the world's fourth-largest wine exporter,' he noted, adding that collaboration could extend to social issues, health, and local development. The discussions also covered cooperation in creating the first modern nut farm in Jammu and Kashmir. Chile and India agreed to resolve market access issues for Indian mangoes and pomegranates and to explore trade expansion in various agricultural products.

(With inputs from agencies.)