Exclusive: Canada Minister Shares Plan To Double Non-US Trade, India's Role

Canada is hoping to finalise its landmark trade agreement with India before the end of this year, Foreign Minister Anita Anand told NDTV on Wednesday, as the two countries look to build on a recent reset in bilateral relations.

Anand is in India from October 13 to 15 for high-level talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. The visit comes as both sides push to accelerate negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which aims to strengthen trade and economic ties between the two countries.

Speaking to NDTV, Anand said Canada was looking forward to concluding the agreement by the year-end, while stressing that the relationship between the two countries extended well beyond commerce.

#NDTVExclusive | "We Have Made Progress With India": Canada Foreign Minister Anita Anand (@AnitaAnandMP) to @VishnuNDTV https://t.co/RdzlfgjjLU

— NDTV (@ndtv) October 14, 2026

"I want to say, though, that the relationship between Canada and India isn't just an economic one. The people-to-people ties that bind our two countries are very deep, and we see those ties expressed in business, but also expressed in university and education, in the tourism and transportation industry, and in the broader familial relationships between our two countries", she said.

Describing the improvement in bilateral ties, Anand said the reset had been a "welcome transition" for people in both countries.

Canada Looks Beyond US, Eyes India As Key Partner

Anand also outlined Canada's efforts to diversify its international partnerships amid growing protectionism in the United States. She said Ottawa needed to strengthen its economic ties with other countries while boosting domestic growth.

"My focus is on Canada's external relationships in an era where the United States have become more protectionist. That means we're diversifying our trading relationships", she said.

Anand said Canada would need to double its non-US trade over the next decade, making it important to expand its network of trading partners.

She pointed to India's economic strength as a key factor in this strategy, describing the country as a $4 trillion economy and the world's sixth-largest economy.

Canada has signed more than 20 security, defence and economic agreements over the past year, Anand said, adding that Ottawa would continue to diversify its partnerships.

The country is also looking to strengthen its domestic economy through 10 designated national projects, including port infrastructure, highways, airports and small modular reactors (SMRs).

Anand said these initiatives were part of Canada's broader ambition to become the leading economy in the G7.

Jaishankar, Anand Review Bilateral Ties

Earlier on Wednesday, Jaishankar met Anand in New Delhi to review relations between the two countries.

The discussions covered a wide range of issues, including trade and investment, education, energy, defence and people-to-people exchanges. The two ministers also exchanged views on ongoing regional developments and discussed ways to advance the India-Canada Strategic Partnership.

Anand arrived in India on Tuesday for her October 13-15 visit, reflecting continued high-level engagement between the two countries as they seek to build positive momentum in their relationship.