PM Modi, Mark Carney Discuss Trade, Defence; Push To Finalise India-Canada Trade Pact

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with his Canadian counterpart, Mark Carney, on Tuesday to discuss trade, energy, technology, security and defence, as the two countries seek to strengthen bilateral ties and advance negotiations on a major trade agreement.

The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to concluding negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) at the earliest opportunity, supporting their goal of doubling bilateral trade by 2030.

Following the conversation, Modi described the exchange as “warm and productive” in a post on X.

“Had a warm and productive conversation with Prime Minister Mark Carney. We agreed to build on the positive momentum in India-Canada ties and work towards concrete outcomes across key areas of our Strategic Partnership, including trade, energy, technology, security and people-to-people ties,” Modi said.

“Together, India and Canada are contributing towards a more stable and prosperous world,” he added.

India, Canada Seek To Double Bilateral Trade By 2030

In a statement, the Canadian Prime Minister’s Office said the leaders welcomed increased engagement between the two countries over the past year, including cooperation in finance, defence, security, people-to-people ties and artificial intelligence.

The statement said both leaders saw an opportunity to build on the renewed momentum and reiterated their commitment to concluding the CEPA negotiations as soon as possible.

They also welcomed the ongoing Team Canada Trade Mission to India, led by Canadian International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu, and the visit to New Delhi this week by Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand.

The visits are aimed at advancing shared priorities, including trade, energy and people-to-people ties.

Modi, Carney Discuss Indo-Pacific Security And Ukraine War

The two leaders also discussed the impact of geopolitical instability on the Indo-Pacific region and the importance of reliable partners in the energy and agriculture sectors.

According to the Canadian PMO, Carney thanked Modi for his leadership in seeking a peaceful resolution to Russia’s war on Ukraine.

The leaders also welcomed a bilateral security dialogue held in India last week as part of ongoing national security and law enforcement cooperation involving their respective national security advisers.

They agreed to remain in close contact ahead of Modi’s expected visit to Canada in December.

Canadian Ministers Visit India Ahead Of Modi’s December Trip

Anand and Sidhu are visiting India this week to advance bilateral priorities and push forward negotiations on the proposed trade agreement ahead of Modi’s expected December visit.

According to sources, Anand is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, while Sidhu is expected to meet Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal.

The discussions come as both countries seek to bring the trade pact closer to completion. India is also considering inviting Carney as a possible chief guest for the 2027 Republic Day celebrations, according to the report.

Modi is expected to travel to Canada shortly before a likely visit to the United States for the 21st G20 Leaders’ Summit on December 14–15 at the Trump National Doral Miami resort in Florida.

Modi and Carney last met on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Evian, France, in June.

India-Canada Ties Seek Recovery After Diplomatic Fallout

The renewed engagement marks a significant effort to improve India-Canada relations, which deteriorated sharply in September 2023 after Carney’s predecessor, Justin Trudeau, alleged that Indian government agents were involved in the killing of Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.

India rejected the allegations, describing them as “politically motivated” and “absurd”.

The latest discussions on trade, security, energy and diplomatic cooperation signal a push by both governments to move forward on shared economic and strategic priorities despite the earlier tensions.