Canada "Working Fast" For "Game Changer" Trade Deal With India

India and Canada have signalled renewed momentum in bilateral trade negotiations, with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney highlighting a renewed push for a free trade deal between Ottawa and New Delhi. Carney said the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) will be a game-changer for Canadian workers and businesses, unlocking a massive new market.

The remarks by the Canadian Prime Minister came after he met Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, who is visiting Canada.

"We're working fast -- I met Minister Piyus Goyal to review our progress so far and explore the opportunities ahead for both our countries in energy, agri-food, tech, and education," the Canadian leader wrote in a post on X. 

More than 100 senior business representatives from India's mining, energy, automotive and aerospace sectors accompanied Goyal, a team New Delhi says is its largest-ever business delegation to Canada.

New Momentum in India-Canada Ties

After meeting Carney, Goyal said the Canadian prime minister's visit in late February -- the first visit by a Canadian prime minister in eight years -- "completely changed the way Canada and India looked at each other."

"This is a partnership that is being reset very, very rapidly," Goyal said.

"It has set in motion the pathway to a complete overhaul of this relationship, setting new agendas, new goals."

The Commerce Minister also conveyed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's greeting to Carney while discussing ways to deepen ties between the two countries.

"Called on the Prime Minister of Canada, Mark J Carney, and conveyed warm greetings from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Fondly recalling his recent visit to India, which has imparted fresh momentum and renewed confidence to the India-Canada partnership," he wrote on X.

In Ottawa, Goyal met with Carney and Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand. He is also to meet with CEOs of leading companies, startups and pension funds. Goyal said the two countries are working to triple their trade to $50 billion USD by 2030.

Ahead of his meeting with Carney, Goyal said both countries are keen to reach a free trade agreement this year.

India-Canada Trade Talks

Canada and India have been in trade talks since 2010. Talks were shut down by Ottawa in 2023 after Canadian authorities alleged that India was involved in the killing of Canadian Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar near Vancouver in June that year.

New Delhi vehemently denied the allegations and accused former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government of harbouring Sikh extremists of the Khalistan movement.

The ties saw improvement after Carney took the top office in Canada. During his India tour, Carney met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the two sides signed a series of agreements -- including a deal worth 2.6 billion Canadian dollars ($1.9 billion) to supply about 22 million pounds (10 million kilograms) of uranium to India for nuclear energy generation.

A Canadian delegation was in New Delhi for trade talks earlier this month, and another Indian delegation is planning to return to Canada to continue discussions later this year.