New Delhi, September 21, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand has said she looks forward to meeting External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during the ongoing UN high-level week to discuss the India-Canada bilateral relationship and the proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).
“The Canada-India bilateral relationship is growing and the conclusion of the CEPA before the end of the year is key to our overall strategy. I look forward to speaking with @DrSJaishankar this week during @UN high level week,” Anand said in a post on X.
The proposed meeting comes days after Jaishankar held talks with Anand on bilateral cooperation and the situation in Ukraine.
“Good to speak with FM Anita Anand of Canada this evening, on our bilateral cooperation as well as on the Ukraine situation,” Jaishankar said in a post on X.
Trade negotiations have also remained a key focus of recent India-Canada engagement.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal last week held a meeting with Canada’s Minister of International Trade Maninder Sidhu to discuss progress on the CEPA.
Sidhu said he had completed the fourth round of trade negotiations with his team in India and emphasised the need for sustained, face-to-face engagement.
“I just finished round four of trade negotiations with my team in India. These negotiations require sustained, face-to-face cooperation, and I look forward to meeting with Minister Goyal again in the coming weeks as we continue to build momentum toward a CEPA agreement,” Sidhu said in a post on X.
India and Canada recorded $30.8 billion in two-way trade in 2024, with Canada setting a goal of more than doubling bilateral trade to $70 billion by 2030.
Sidhu said a CEPA could create additional opportunities for Canadian businesses across sectors including agriculture and agri-food, energy, critical minerals, artificial intelligence and technology, aerospace and defence.
Goyal said both sides had reaffirmed their leadership’s commitment to expedite negotiations and conclude the CEPA at the earliest, with the agreement expected to create opportunities across trade in goods and services and investment.
He also expressed confidence that an early conclusion of the pact would help significantly increase bilateral trade and deepen the economic partnership between the two countries.
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