India, Canada Aim to Finalise Free Trade Pact by End of 2026
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By Mahima Katal Evian-les-Bains (France), June 16: India and Canada have agreed to conclude negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) by the end of 2026, following talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Evian-les-Bains, France.
The two leaders held wide-ranging discussions focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation in trade, defence, energy, innovation, education, and people-to-people exchanges.
"It was a delight to meet Prime Minister Carney on the sidelines of the Evian G7 Summit," Modi said in a post on X, noting that it was their fourth meeting in less than a year. He said the frequency of engagements reflected both countries' commitment to deepening ties and reviewed progress made since their last meeting.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), both sides expressed satisfaction with the progress made in negotiations for the proposed CEPA and reaffirmed their shared goal of concluding the agreement this year.
The leaders also agreed to launch negotiations on a General Security of Information Agreement aimed at enhancing defence and security cooperation between the two countries.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the two prime ministers reviewed the strong progress in bilateral engagement and explored avenues for building a stronger partnership driven by economic cooperation and strategic collaboration.
Reaffirming their commitment to a forward-looking strategic partnership, Modi and Carney highlighted the complementary strengths of the Indian and Canadian economies. They underscored the importance of resilient and reliable supply chains in ensuring global energy and food security.
The leaders reviewed ongoing economic cooperation, including commercial arrangements related to liquefied natural gas (LNG), liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and metallurgical coal.
The meeting followed Carney's visit to India earlier this year, during which both countries signed agreements on uranium and critical mineral supplies and committed to accelerating negotiations on the trade pact. During that visit, the two leaders had also agreed to expand cooperation in defence, critical technologies, small modular nuclear reactors, renewable energy, and education.
On Tuesday, they welcomed increasing institutional engagement, including meetings of the Joint Science and Technology Committee and the Consular Dialogue. They also expressed anticipation for upcoming dialogues on defence, finance, and migration.
The leaders noted continued collaboration under the Canada–India Talent and Innovation Strategy and announced the establishment of Raisina Americas, a platform designed to strengthen dialogue, exchanges, and cooperation between the two countries. Modi also voiced support for Canada becoming a Dialogue Partner of the Indian Ocean Rim Association.
India-Canada relations had deteriorated sharply in 2023 after then Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged a potential Indian link to the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. However, both countries have taken steps to rebuild ties since Carney assumed office, leading to renewed diplomatic engagement and growing cooperation across multiple sectors.
