India-Canada trade deal: PM Modi visit likely in December as talks enter final months

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit Canada around the G20 Summit in December, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said, as the two countries make “good progress” in negotiations for a comprehensive trade agreement.

Carney said he understood that Modi had confirmed plans to visit Canada around the time of the summit, though the precise date had not been finalised.

“He (PM Modi) will be visiting Canada around that time. I very much look forward to hosting him,” Carney said on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

Carney said India and Canada were aiming to conclude their trade negotiations by the G20 Summit, scheduled for December 14-15 at Trump National Doral in Miami.

“We're making good progress in our trade negotiations with India,” he said, describing the bilateral relationship as “exceptionally important” at people-to-people, security, trade and economic levels.

The comments come as New Delhi and Ottawa have accelerated negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Monday that the next round of negotiations will begin on October 5 and may continue until October 9.

“Both sides have resolved to fast-track negotiations, in view of which our team is now slated to go for the fifth round on October 5,” Goyal said.

The fourth round of negotiations concluded in New Delhi on September 18.

Goyal said the next 90 days would be a “very defining period” in the Canada-India relationship as both sides seek to conclude the negotiations by the end of this year.

India and Canada formally launched negotiations for the comprehensive trade agreement in March, with both governments committing to conclude talks by the end of 2026.

Carney has been seeking to diversify Canada's trade beyond the United States and has set a goal of doubling non-US trade over the next decade.

India forms part of Canada's broader effort to reduce its dependence on the US amid strained trade relations with Washington under President Donald Trump.

Canada has also been seeking to deepen economic ties with other major partners.

Last week, Carney backed the prospect of Canada becoming the European Union's first associate member, saying deeper ties with Europe would help ensure no country could control Canada's markets or undermine its sovereignty.

Earlier this year, Canada also reached a deal with China allowing a limited number of Chinese electric vehicles into the Canadian market at a much reduced tariff, in exchange for China lowering tariffs on Canadian canola.

Canadian International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu was in Mumbai last week and held talks with Goyal.

India's major exports to Canada include pharmaceuticals, iron and steel, seafood, cotton garments, electronic goods and chemicals. Key imports from Canada include pulses, pearls and semi-precious stones, coal, fertilisers, paper and crude petroleum.

India's services exports to Canada are led by telecommunications, computer and information services, and other business services.

Two-way trade reached $30.4 billion in 2025, with the two countries targeting to more than double it to $70 billion by 2030.