New Delhi [India], April 1 (ANI): Chilean President Gabriel Boric Font has announced a Multiple Entry Permit for Indian businesspersons, simplifying the visa process to facilitate trade and investment. Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed this decision, emphasising its significance in strengthening bilateral relations between India and Chile. PM Modi held talks with President Boric at Hyderabad House in Delhi on Tuesday, describing Chile as an "important friend" of India in Latin America. In a post on X, PM Modi stated, "India welcomes a special friend! It is a delight to host President Gabriel Boric Font in Delhi. Chile is an important friend of ours in Latin America. Our talks today will add significant impetus to the India-Chile bilateral friendship."Following the meeting, a joint statement highlighted that Boric conveyed that India is a priority partner for Chile in the global economy and stressed the need to explore strategies for enhanced and diversified trade between the two countries. Gabriel Boric Font and PM acknowledged the signing of the mutually agreed Terms of Reference and welcomed the launch of Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) negotiations for a balanced, ambitious, comprehensive, and mutually beneficial agreement to achieve a deeper economic integration. "The CEPA will aim at unlocking the full potential of the trade and commercial relationship between India and Chile, boosting employment, bilateral trade, and economic growth," the joint statement read. "To further promote trade relations as well as people-to-people interactions, President Boric announced Chile's decision to grant a Multiple Entry Permit for Indian businesspersons which will streamline the visa process." "Prime Minister Modi welcomed and valued this measure, as it reflects the willingness of both parties to facilitate trade and investment and the shared commitment to deepening bilateral relations between Chile and India. Acknowledging the people-to-people linkages as an important pillar to promote bilateral ties and to facilitate business, tourism, student and academic exchanges, Indian side has already put in place a flexible visa regime, including by extending e-visa facility for Chilean travellers to India," it added. As per the joint statement, the two recognised the strategic importance of critical minerals for emerging technologies, advanced manufacturing, and clean energy transitions and agreed to accelerate collaboration in exploration, mining and processing along with research and development to promote investment across the entire critical mineral value chain for mutual benefit. PM Modi and Gabriel Boric stressed on the need for building trusted and resilient supply chains including for critical minerals and advanced materials. The two sides agreed to work together on initiatives to strengthen supply chains and local value chains by fostering mutually beneficial partnerships and understandings in mining and minerals, including the possibility of a long-term supply of minerals and materials from Chile to India. "Both leaders agreed to explore the opening up of new avenues for cooperation in health and pharmaceuticals, space, ICT, agriculture, green energy, traditional medicine, Antarctica, Science & Technology, management of natural disasters, sports, Startups, cooperatives, and audiovisual co-production, through the exchange of experiences and good practices among the agencies responsible for these matters," it read. "President Boric acknowledged the role of the Indian pharmaceutical industry as one of the world leaders, and an important partner for Chile in the supply of affordable and high-quality products," it added. The two leaders agreed to facilitate the private sectors of the two countries to increase trade in pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and medical devices. Both sides agreed to work on enhancing cooperation in the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors and address market access issues for Indian pharmaceuticals, as well as advancing in the recognition of the Indian Pharmacopoeia by Chile.PM Modi and Gabriel Boric Font noted the importance of traditional medicines and Yoga in preserving the health and well-being of people and directed their officials for an early conclusion of the Memorandum of Understanding on Traditional Medicines to promote a more sustainable lifestyle. Both nations agreed to collaborate and intensify the promotion and use of evidence-based, integrative, Traditional Medicine, Homeopathy, and Yoga by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).The two sides agreed to work on promoting investments in infrastructure projects in each other's countries. Chile President welcomed Indian companies to participate in infrastructure projects, including in the railway sector. PM Modi and Gabriel Boric Font encouraged the two sides to work together to explore substantial areas for bilateral defence cooperation, including capacity building and defence industrial collaboration. Both sides agreed to share knowledge in developing and enhancing each other's capabilities under the existing formal defence cooperation agreement in place. The joint statement reads, "Indian side highlighted that Chile has been kept on priority while offering opportunities in training at Defence Services Staff College, NDC, NDA and HDMC, apart from slots for specialised courses in mountain warfare and peacekeeping operations previously made available. Indian side expressed its desire to receive and train Chilean military in areas of mutual interests." "Both leaders expressed their happiness on signing of the Letter of Intent to strengthen existing Antarctic cooperation, which will further facilitate partnership in Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources agendas bilateral dialogues, joint initiatives and academic exchanges related to Antarctica and Antarctic policy. Both India and Chile are Consultative Parties to the Antarctic Treaty and reaffirmed their commitment to deepen scientific understanding of Antarctic for the benefit of both parties and the global community," it added. The two sides welcomed the adoption and opening for signature of the Agreement on Marine Biodiversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), as a key legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction and reiterated the resolve of their respective countries to preserve, protect and promote biodiversity, from land to sea, and agreed to work together and support each other in international forums dealing with these issues. India and Chile reaffirmed their intention to strengthen a vision from the Global South in multilateralism, through cooperation and joint efforts, based on the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and the right to development."Recalling the two countries' decades-long partnership in space, the two leaders noted the ongoing engagements in the space sector between the two countries, including the launching of a satellite belonging to Chile (SUCHAI-1) by India in 2017 as a co-passenger under a commercial arrangement," the joint statement read further. "Both leaders emphasized the importance of further cooperation to promote training and capacity building and research in space and astrophysics. In this regard, they welcomed the constitution of Space Executive Committee by Chile to work on cooperation including in the areas of exploration in space, R&D, training, satellite building, launch and operation and peaceful use of outer space with ISRO, IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre) and Startups," the joint statement read. The two leaders noted their respective dynamic information and digital technology sectors and stressed the need to explore synergies to enhance cooperation in this field. They expressed mutual interest in growth of investment, joint ventures, technological development and markets in the IT and digital space, including promoting collaboration in Digital Public Infrastructures (DPI), thereby democratizing access to digital services for people and businesses. Both leaders acknowledged the efforts by India and Chile in exploring early implementation of cooperation in the digital payments sector. They committed to working for developing closer cooperation between the vibrant Startup ecosystems of the two countries. PM Modi and Gabriel Boric Font expressed their desire to advance on signing of an understanding on cooperation in the areas of Digital Transformation to facilitate deeper engagement between tech communities of both countries, it added. (ANI)