New Delhi, October 4, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
India and Canada will begin the fifth round of negotiations for their proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in Ottawa on Monday, as both countries step up efforts to conclude the trade pact by the end of 2026.
The five-day negotiating round, led by the chief negotiators of the two countries, will continue until October 9. The previous round was held in New Delhi and concluded on September 18, with both sides now seeking to accelerate discussions towards a final agreement.
The talks are gaining further momentum ahead of a proposed visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Canada around December, when the two countries are targeting the conclusion of the CEPA. Canadian Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu is also scheduled to visit New Delhi later this month with a 300-member business delegation.
Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney had set a year-end deadline for concluding the trade negotiations during their meeting in New Delhi in March. The two leaders also agreed to strengthen cooperation in energy and critical minerals.
According to their joint statement, the proposed trade agreement is expected to provide a durable economic foundation for bilateral ties and support the shared goal of taking India-Canada trade to CAD 70 billion (around Rs 4.65 lakh crore) by 2030.
Bilateral trade in goods stood at $8.66 billion in 2024-25, with India’s exports to Canada accounting for $4.22 billion.
India’s major exports to Canada include pharmaceuticals, machinery and mechanical appliances, iron and steel products, electronics, organic chemicals, jewellery, gems and precious stones, garments and textiles, seafood, engineering goods and auto parts.
Canada supplies India with commodities including pulses, fertilisers, mineral fuels, wood pulp, gems and precious stones, aircraft and machinery parts, and iron and aluminium scrap. India’s IT sector is a major contributor to services exports to Canada.
The renewed push on trade comes amid a broader improvement in India-Canada relations following a period of diplomatic strain during former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s tenure. Carney’s India visit earlier this year helped set the stage for efforts to rebuild bilateral engagement.
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