India, Canada preparing to take ties to ‘higher level’: EAM Jaishankar

By R Anil Kumar

New York/Bengaluru, Sep 26, 2026. India and Canada are preparing to take their relationship “to a higher level”, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said after holding a “productive discussion” with his Canadian counterpart Anita Anand on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly (UNGA).

“Always a pleasure to meet FM Anita Anand of Canada #UNGA81 A productive discussion as we prepare to take the relationship to a higher level,” EAM Jaishankar said in a post on X on Saturday.

Earlier this week, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said at the UN that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit Canada around December this year, noting that Ottawa is making “good progress” in its trade negotiations with India.

“We are making good progress in our trade negotiations with India. It is an exceptionally important relationship on many-many levels, people-to-people levels, security levels, and also trade and economic,” Carney had said at a press conference Tuesday on the sidelines of the UNGA.

Carney was responding to questions on when PM Modi would visit Canada and how close Ottawa was to concluding a free trade agreement – called the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement – with India.

INDIA-CANADA Relations

India and Canada are deepening engagement, marked by meetings between Prime Ministers Carney and Modi at the G7 Summit in Canada in June 2025 and the G20 Summit in South Africa in November 2025, reinstatement of high commissioners and the announcement of a shared roadmap for future collaboration during Foreign Minister Anand’s visit to India in October 2025.

Prime Minister Carney led a delegation to India in February-March 2026 to firmly reestablish bilateral trade, economic and political ties. The Joint statement by Prime Minister Carney and Prime Minister Modi announced at the conclusion of the visit noted the significant progress achieved since their meetings on the margins of the G7 Summit in Kananaskis and the G20 Summit in Johannesburg in the implementation of New Roadmap for Canada–India Relations, thereby providing a clear direction for strengthening the Canada–India partnership. The Leaders highlighted the strong commercial foundation underpinning bilateral ties and the launch of negotiations of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). These developments demonstrate the expanding scale, diversification, and sophistication of the bilateral economic relationship and signal growing confidence among businesses and investors in both markets.

Trade relations

India is an increasingly important partner as Canada undertakes a comprehensive trade diversification strategy and seeks to double exports to markets beyond the United States over the next decade, including a more than doubling of two‑way trade with India to $70 billion annually by 2030.

At the recent G20 Summit, both leaders announced the launch of negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) to encompass goods and services trade, investment, agriculture and agri‑food, digital trade, mobility and sustainable development. During Prime Minister Carney’s first official visit to India in March 2026, both leaders committed to conclude CEPA in 2026, aligned with Canada’s goal of expanding bilateral trade.

In 2025, two‑way merchandise trade between Canada and India reached $10.9 billion, comprising $3.9 billion in Canadian exports and $7.0 billion in imports from India. Canadian exports declined by 26.5% compared to 2024, led by metal ores and non‑metallic minerals, forestry products, farm and food products, and energy. Imports from India increased by 18.9%, driven by consumer goods, machinery, chemicals, and electronic equipment.

Canada’s services exports to India reached $15.6 billion in 2024 (up 16.3% from 2023), driven primarily by education‑related travel. These exports represented 6.3% of Canada’s total services exports. Services imports from India totalled $3.8 billion (up 1.2% from 2023), with commercial services accounting for 86.8% of total imports.

Commercial opportunities

India’s scale, sustained growth, and economic reforms continue to create strong commercial opportunities for Canadian firms. Priority areas include clean technology and energy transition, where India’s commitments on renewables, grid modernization, hydrogen, and emissions reduction align with Canadian capabilities. India’s need for secure access to critical minerals also positions Canada as a reliable partner for long‑term supply and technology collaboration, while major infrastructure investments—from transport to smart cities—offer openings for Canadian engineering firms and pension funds.

Opportunities are also expanding in digital industries and artificial intelligence, supported by India’s rapidly growing digital economy, as well as in agrifood, where rising demand continues to support Canadian exports. Education, skills, and research cooperation remain strong, with significant potential for expanded collaboration in health, clean technology, and digital innovation.

Recent engagement

In May 2026, India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, led a major trade mission to Canada—the largest India has ever sent abroad, with more than 120 companies. Minister Goyal and Canada’s Minister of International Trade reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral trade and investment ties, building on momentum from recent high‑level engagement and ongoing negotiations toward a CEPA.

Canada and India also maintain strong cooperation in science, technology, and innovation under the 2005 Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement. The Joint Science and Technology Coordination Committee (JSTCC) last met on May 29, 2026, in New Delhi, building on its previous meeting in Ottawa in 2022 and advancing collaboration in areas such as researcher mobility, nanotechnology, health, sustainable infrastructure, and clean technology.

Development assistance to international cooperation

Canada provided $2.4 billion in development assistance in India over a 56-year period, and in agreement with India, ended its bilateral development program in 2006.

Following this, Canada adapted its approach and its international cooperation with India, which has taken the form of supporting multilateral regional programs; partnerships between Indian and Canadian academic institutions and NGOs; technical assistance, and support for grassroots, national endeavours through the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI).

Partnerships and organizations

To develop effective responses to today’s most pressing global challenges, Canada and India work closely in multilateral fora.

US President Donald Trump will host the G20 Summit on December 14–15 at the Trump National Doral Miami resort in Doral, Florida.

Amid discussions in India regarding diversification of its energy sources, EAM Jaishankar also met Venezuela Foreign Minister Felix Plasencia Gonzalez on the UNGA sidelines.

After the meeting, he said, “Our energy ties are gaining momentum, besides other areas of bilateral cooperation. We also discussed current regional issues.”

He also met Belarus Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov and his Mexican counterpart Roberto Velasco Alvarez of Mexico.