New Delhi: The government on Thursday said it has successfully concluded two key rounds of trade negotiations with partner countries in Latin America, underscoring the commitment to expanding economic cooperation and deepening trade linkages with the region.
According to a Commerce Ministry statement, the ninth round of India–Peru Trade Agreement negotiations was held in Lima, Peru, from November 3-5.
The discussions witnessed substantive progress across key chapters of the proposed Agreement including Trade in Goods and Services, Rules of Origin, Technical Barriers to Trade, Customs Procedures, Dispute Settlement, and Critical Minerals.
Teresa Stella Mera Gomez, Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism of Peru, reaffirmed Peru’s commitment to the timely conclusion of the negotiations, highlighting the complementarity between both economies and expressing optimism that the Agreement will enhance trade and investment flows.
Vishvas Vidu Sapkal, Ambassador of India to Peru, underlined India’s sustained growth momentum and noted that the agreement would create new opportunities for cooperation in areas such as critical minerals, pharmaceuticals, automobiles, textiles and food processing.
Both sides agreed to hold inter-sessional meetings to address pending issues ahead of the next round of negotiations proposed to be held in New Delhi in January 2026, the official statement said.
Earlier, the third round of India–Chile Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) negotiations was held in Santiago, Chile, from October 27-30.
“Discussions covered a wide range of chapters including Trade in Goods and Services, Investment Promotion, Rules of Origin, Intellectual Property Rights, TBT/ SPS measures, Economic Cooperation and Critical Minerals,” said the ministry.
Both sides reaffirmed their shared commitment to an early and time-bound conclusion of the CEPA negotiations, which aim to enhance market access, strengthen supply chain resilience and deepen economic integration.
“India’s growing trade engagement with Peru and Chile reflects its strategic focus on building stronger partnerships with the Latin American region through mutually beneficial and comprehensive economic cooperation frameworks,” said the ministry.
(IANS)
