India, Chile in final stages of social security pact; CEPA talks at advanced stage

New Delhi [India], January 9 (ANI): India and Chile are in the final stages of negotiating a social security agreement aimed at facilitating investments and the movement of professionals between the two countries, Chilean Ambassador Juan Angulo said on Friday.
Speaking to ANI, Angulo said negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which spans more than 20 chapters, have reached an advanced stage, with both sides now working towards fixing dates for the fifth and possibly final round.
"We are also in the final steps of a negotiation of a treaty of social security that will also facilitate investments. Where people, Chileans or Indians working on terms of their social security systems... this will facilitate the increase and dependence of financial and economic trade investment relations between our two countries," Angulo said.
Angulo said the two countries are working hard to reach an agreement on the core issues like market access and critical minerals.
He said CEPA negotiations are progressing across more than 20 chapters, though some areas are moving faster than others, which he described as normal in comprehensive trade talks. "All CEPAs have more than 20 chapters of negotiation, and we are engaging in all of them. Some chapters are moving faster, while others are taking more time, which is normal in any negotiation process," Angulo said.
Emphasising that CEPA goes beyond trade in goods, the Chilean envoy said the agreement also covers investments, development and transfer of technology. "CEPA is not just about trade in goods. It is also involving investments, development and transfer of technology," he said.
Highlighting the most sensitive areas, Angulo said market access and critical minerals remain central to the talks. "Important chapters are market access and critical minerals. These are the core parts of the negotiations that we are working hard on reaching an agreement on," he said.
India and Chile began formal CEPA negotiations in May 2025, and several rounds have been held since then, including a fourth round concluded in December 2025. Angulo said intersessional work is currently underway and both sides are hopeful of fixing dates for the next round.
"We have just finished the fourth round of negotiations, and now there is intersessional work to be done. We are looking forward to fixing dates for the fifth and maybe final round," he said.
On bilateral trade, Angulo said commerce between India and Chile has seen a sharp rise over the past year, touching around USD 3.8 billion. "We are very happy because since last year we have had a substantial increase in bilateral trade," he said, adding that trade could grow to USD 10 billion in the coming years.
He noted that while Chile's exports are led by copper, the trade relationship remains balanced. "We see this commercial relationship as a win-win situation. It is not only going towards one side but both sides -- trade, investments and services," Angulo said. (ANI)