Canada steps up India trade talks, fourth CEPA round underway

New Delhi: Canada is pushing to seal a trade deal with India by the end of the year, and is sending international trade minister Maninder Sidhu to Mumbai as negotiators tackle a vital fourth round of talks, aimed at expanding commercial ties between the two nations.

Sidhu will meet commerce minister Piyush Goyal and business leaders to take comprehensive steps on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (Cepa), which targets doubling bilateral trade to 70 billion Canadian dollars by 2030. The push covers key growth sectors including clean energy, critical minerals, and digital services.

Market access

Late last year, talks were renewed amid higher-level diplomatic engagement. Ottawa is seeking greater access for Canadian exporters, lower tariffs, and better rules for business travel to deepen integration with South Asia’s largest economy.

Yet, hurdles remain as Ottawa is clear about certain restrictions on access to its home market. Canada has ruled out granting access to its dairy, poultry, and egg sectors, even while the broader talks continue.

The proposed Cepa is part of a broader effort by the two countries to deepen economic ties following renewed high-level engagement. The two sides formally launched negotiations in November 2025, while the terms of reference for the agreement were signed during Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to India in March.

The agreement is expected to cover trade in goods and services, investment, agriculture and agri-food, digital trade, mobility and sustainable development. Canada has also identified advanced manufacturing and skills development as areas for deeper commercial cooperation.

Canada’s negotiating objectives include improving market access for its exporters, addressing tariff and non-tariff barriers and establishing rules to facilitate trade and investment. The agenda also covers digital trade, government procurement, intellectual property, competition policy, state-owned enterprises, regulatory cooperation and temporary movement of business persons.

The negotiations come as both countries seek to significantly expand bilateral trade.

According to Global Affairs Canada, two-way trade in goods and services between Canada and India stood at C$30.4 billion in 2025, including C$13.6 billion in merchandise trade.

Indian government data for 2025-26 show bilateral merchandise trade at $7.95 billion, with India’s exports to Canada at $4.67 billion and imports at $3.28 billion. India’s exports include pharmaceuticals, iron and steel, seafood, garments, electronic goods and chemicals, while major imports from Canada include pulses, coal, fertilizers, paper and crude petroleum.

The two countries have also sought to strengthen business-to-business engagement alongside the negotiations. In May, Goyal led a trade delegation of more than 120 Indian companies to Canada, which the Canadian government described as the largest Indian trade delegation sent abroad. The two sides also launched a Trade and Investment Forum to facilitate business partnerships and investment.

Sidhu’s Mumbai visit is part of a wider Canadian trade push in the region. After India, he will travel to Manila on September 21-22 for the Asean Economic Ministers-Canada Consultation, where Canada is also seeking progress on trade negotiations with Asean and the Philippines.

The renewed trade engagement follows a period of improved high-level economic contact between India and Canada. Both sides are now working towards the year-end deadline for Cepa, with the outcome of the ongoing fourth round expected to shape the pace of negotiations in the coming months.

About the Author

Harsh Kumar is a policy reporter at Mint (HT Media Group), where he covers the Ministry of Commerce and Industry along with key departments of the Ministry of Finance, including the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) and the Department of Financial Services (DFS). With over five years of experience in business and economic journalism, he has developed strong expertise in tracking policy developments and their wider economic impact.<br><br>He has previously worked with Business Standard, Moneycontrol, and Outlook Money, where he reported extensively on banking, financial services, and the broader economy. Over the years, he has built a reputation for delivering accurate, insightful, and impactful stories, supported by a keen eye for detail and a consistent track record of breaking exclusive news.<br><br>An alumnus of Jamia Millia Islamia, Harsh closely follows regulatory changes and key economic trends shaping India’s financial and industrial landscape. His reporting aims to simplify complex policy issues for a wider audience while maintaining depth and credibility.<br><br>Outside of work, he enjoys tracking policy developments, finding scoops, and travelling, reflecting his curiosity about how economic decisions shape everyday life.