Canada steps up trade talks with India, fourth round of CEPA underway | Today’s news
New Delhi: Canada is pushing for a trade deal with India by the end of the year, sending International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu to Mumbai as negotiators tackle a crucial fourth round of talks aimed at expanding trade ties between the two nations.
Sidhu will meet Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and business leaders to take comprehensive steps towards a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (Cepa), which aims to double bilateral trade to C$70 billion by 2030. The push is on key growth sectors including clean energy, critical minerals and digital services.
Market access
At the end of last year, talks were resumed as part of diplomatic engagement at a higher level. Ottawa is seeking better access for Canadian exporters, lower tariffs and better business travel rules to deepen integration with South Asia’s largest economy.
However, obstacles remain as Ottawa is clear about certain restrictions on access to its domestic market. Canada has ruled out allowing access to its dairy, poultry and egg sectors, even as broader talks continue.
Proposed Cepa is part of a broader effort by both countries to deepen economic ties following the resumption of high-level engagement. The two sides formally started negotiations in November 2025, while the terms of the deal were signed during Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to India in March.
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The agreement is expected to cover trade in goods and services, investment, agriculture and agri-food industry, digital commerce, mobility and sustainable development. Canada has also identified advanced manufacturing and skills development as areas for deeper trade cooperation.
Canada’s negotiating goals include improving market access for its exporters, addressing tariff and non-tariff barriers, and establishing rules to facilitate trade and investment. The agenda also includes digital trade, government procurement, intellectual property, competition policy, state-owned enterprises, regulatory cooperation and temporary movement of entrepreneurs.
The talks come at a time when both countries are trying to significantly expand bilateral trade.
According to Global Affairs Canada, two-way trade in goods and services between Canada and India was C$30.4 billion in 2025, including C$13.6 billion in merchandise trade.
Indian government data for 2025–26 shows bilateral merchandise trade at $7.95 billion, with India’s exports to Canada at $4.67 billion and imports at $3.28 billion. India’s exports include pharmaceuticals, iron and steel, seafood, garments, electronic goods and chemicals, while major imports from Canada include pulses, coal, fertilizers, paper and oil.
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Both countries also sought to strengthen business-to-business engagement along with negotiations. In May, Goyal led a trade delegation of more than 120 Indian companies to Canada, described by the Canadian government as the largest Indian trade delegation sent abroad. The two sides also launched a Trade and Investment Forum to facilitate trade partnerships and investments.
Sidhu’s visit to Mumbai is part of a broader Canadian trade push in the region. After India, he will travel to Manila on September 21-22 for the Asean-Canada Economic Ministers’ Consultation, where Canada is also seeking to advance trade negotiations with Asean and the Philippines.
The renewed trade engagement follows a period of improved high-level economic contacts between India and Canada. The two sides are now working on a deadline for Cepa, with the outcome of the ongoing fourth round expected to influence the pace of negotiations in the coming months.
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