Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal met Canadian Minister of International Trade Maninder Sidhu on Wednesday, pushing to accelerate negotiations on a bilateral free trade agreement designed to unlock cross-border commerce and private capital flows.
Both governments set an explicit target: wrap up formal talks on the India-Canada Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) by year-end. Sidhu arrived in New Delhi leading a high-level Canadian trade delegation, underscoring Ottawa's push to diversify its commercial links across the Indo-Pacific.
Talks centered on market access. Goyal stressed that any final treaty must balance both economies' structural strengths while creating direct opportunities for investors and exporters on both sides.
Goyal confirmed the discussions in an official statement, noting that both administrations remain committed to deepening economic engagement through the proposed pact:
Reaffirmed our shared commitment to taking the India
Canada economic partnership to new heights, with CEPA serving as a catalyst for deeper commercial engagement and shared prosperity." — Piyush Goyal, Commerce and Industry Minister
The bilateral negotiations now move into technical rounds, where negotiating teams will hammer out tariff schedules, services rules, and investment protection frameworks ahead of the December deadline.