India and Canada have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral trade and investment ties, with both countries agreeing to conclude negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) by the end of 2026.
The commitment was announced during the 2026 Canada-India Trade and Investment Forum, where Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Canadian Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu held discussions aimed at deepening economic cooperation and expanding commercial opportunities for businesses in both countries.
Sidhu welcomed Goyal and what was described as the largest Indian delegation ever sent abroad for such an engagement, highlighting the growing importance of India-Canada economic ties.
Both sides identified several sectors with strong potential for collaboration, including clean energy, critical minerals, agri-food, advanced manufacturing, digital technologies and skills development.
The two ministers reiterated their commitment to advancing an “ambitious and mutually beneficial” Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement and stressed its importance in improving market access, strengthening resilient supply chains and promoting two-way economic growth.
As part of the initiative, the two countries launched the Canada-India Trade and Investment Forum, which will serve as a platform to connect business leaders from both nations and encourage new commercial partnerships and investment opportunities.
The ministers also underlined the importance of improving connectivity between India and Canada through stronger people-to-people ties, enhanced business mobility and direct commercial linkages to facilitate trade and investment growth.
Canada further announced that it will lead a Team Canada Trade Mission to India later this year, reflecting growing interest among Canadian businesses in expanding their presence in the Indian market.
Both countries agreed to continue encouraging long-term, high-quality investments in priority sectors and to strengthen collaboration among businesses, innovators and institutional partners.
The ministers also committed to maintaining regular dialogue and working towards concrete economic outcomes in the coming months as both nations seek to deepen their strategic economic partnership.
