New Delhi, September 2. India and Canada have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations and agreed to work towards concluding negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) by the end of this year, with an ambitious target of more than doubling bilateral trade to CAD 70 billion by 2030.
The commitment was made during the annual Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) between the two countries held at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on September 2. The Indian delegation was led by Secretary (East) Rudrendra Tandon, while the Canadian side was headed by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Arun Thangaraj.
The consultations were held amid what both sides described as renewed momentum in bilateral ties, marked by increased high-level exchanges and progress across several areas of cooperation since June 2025.
During the discussions, India and Canada underlined the importance of their bilateral relationship, with both sides emphasising shared democratic values, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and adherence to the rule of law.
The two delegations reviewed progress under various institutional mechanisms and discussed cooperation in a range of sectors, including energy and critical minerals, science and technology, education, security and defence, culture, people-to-people ties and consular matters.
Both sides welcomed the strengthening of institutional mechanisms and regular dialogue between the two governments, signalling efforts to consolidate the recent improvement in bilateral engagement.
A key focus of the consultations was economic cooperation, with India and Canada reiterating their shared objective of completing negotiations for the CEPA before the end of 2026. The proposed agreement is aimed at significantly expanding bilateral trade, with the two countries setting a target of CAD 70 billion (around ₹4.65 lakh crore) by 2030.
The renewed emphasis on trade and economic cooperation comes as India and Canada seek to broaden their partnership beyond traditional areas, with critical minerals, energy, technology and education emerging as important components of the bilateral relationship.
