India and Canada Strengthen Economic Partnership, Aim to Finalize CEPA by End of 2026.
New Delhi/Ottawa:
India and Canada have taken a major step toward deepening their economic relationship by launching the Canada-India Trade and Investment Forum and reaffirming their commitment to conclude negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) before the end of 2026.
The announcement followed high-level talks between Canadian Minister Sidhu and India’s Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, signaling renewed momentum in bilateral trade relations between the two nations.
In a joint statement issued after the meeting, both ministers emphasized their shared goal of expanding trade, increasing investment opportunities, and creating stronger economic cooperation that would benefit businesses and industries in both countries.
Minister Sidhu welcomed Minister Goyal along with what officials described as the largest Indian delegation ever sent abroad, highlighting the growing significance of India-Canada commercial engagement and the increasing strategic importance of bilateral ties.
The discussions focused on enhancing collaboration across several high-growth and strategically important sectors, including clean energy, critical minerals, agri-food, advanced manufacturing, digital technologies, and skills development.
Officials from both countries stated that these sectors present major opportunities for investment, innovation, technology sharing, and long-term economic cooperation.
One of the key outcomes of the meeting was the launch of the Canada-India Trade and Investment Forum, designed to bring together leading business representatives from both countries. The forum is expected to facilitate new commercial partnerships, encourage business-to-business collaboration, and strengthen institutional ties between Canadian and Indian industries.
The ministers also reaffirmed their commitment to advancing negotiations on the proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). The agreement is viewed as a critical framework for expanding market access, improving supply chain resilience, reducing trade barriers, and accelerating two-way economic growth.
“Both Ministers affirmed their shared objective of concluding negotiations by the end of this year,” the joint statement said, indicating fresh political and economic momentum behind the trade pact.
Connectivity and mobility were also highlighted as major priorities during the discussions. Both sides stressed the importance of improving people-to-people exchanges, enhancing business mobility, and strengthening direct commercial links between India and Canada to support broader economic integration.
In another major announcement, Minister Sidhu confirmed that Canada will lead a “Team Canada” Trade Mission to India later this year. The mission is expected to include prominent Canadian companies and investors looking to expand operations and partnerships in India’s rapidly growing economy.
The two countries also agreed to encourage long-term, high-quality investment in priority sectors while promoting deeper cooperation between businesses, innovators, academic institutions, and industry stakeholders.
The meeting concluded with both governments committing to maintain regular dialogue and work toward delivering concrete outcomes in the coming months, reflecting a renewed effort to strengthen one of the most important emerging economic partnerships between India and the Western world.
