Trade negotiators from India and Canada began the fifth round of talks for the proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in Ottawa on Monday, with both governments pushing to wrap up the pact before the end of 2026.
The five-day round, led by the chief negotiators of both countries, is scheduled to run until October 9. It follows the fourth round of negotiations, which concluded in India on September 18. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has said both sides agreed to fast-track the discussions, and officials say the pace has picked up sharply in recent weeks.
Why this round matters
The talks carry weight well beyond tariff schedules. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney set a target of raising two-way trade to C$70 billion by 2030 in their joint statement of March 2, and both sides have committed to concluding the CEPA this year.
A CEPA would significantly reduce or eliminate customs duties on a wide range of goods traded between the two countries, while also easing the movement of skilled professionals and encouraging cross-border investment. India's major exports to Canada include pharmaceuticals, iron and steel, seafood, cotton garments, electronics and chemicals. Canada's key exports to India include pulses, coal, fertilisers, paper, crude petroleum, pearls and semi-precious stones.
A long road back
The negotiations have a chequered history. India and Canada first launched CEPA talks in 2015 and held more than half a dozen rounds before the process was suspended in 2017. Talks resumed in March 2022, initially focused on an interim Early Progress Trade Agreement, but were halted again in 2023 after then Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged a possible Indian link to the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar — a claim India dismissed as "preposterous".
Ties have since been on the mend. Canadian Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu, who met Goyal in Mumbai last month to review progress, is expected to visit New Delhi later this month with a 300-member business delegation. Carney has also said that Prime Minister Modi is expected to visit Canada in December.
With the December deadline now visible, this week's round in Ottawa is being seen as the most consequential so far in the revived negotiations.
Sources:
ET Manufacturing: India-Canada trade deal: CEPA talks to enter fifth round on October 5
The Tribune: India, Canada begin 5th round of comprehensive trade agreement talks
The five-day round, led by the chief negotiators of both countries, is scheduled to run until October 9. It follows the fourth round of negotiations, which concluded in India on September 18. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has said both sides agreed to fast-track the discussions, and officials say the pace has picked up sharply in recent weeks.
Why this round matters
The talks carry weight well beyond tariff schedules. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney set a target of raising two-way trade to C$70 billion by 2030 in their joint statement of March 2, and both sides have committed to concluding the CEPA this year.
A CEPA would significantly reduce or eliminate customs duties on a wide range of goods traded between the two countries, while also easing the movement of skilled professionals and encouraging cross-border investment. India's major exports to Canada include pharmaceuticals, iron and steel, seafood, cotton garments, electronics and chemicals. Canada's key exports to India include pulses, coal, fertilisers, paper, crude petroleum, pearls and semi-precious stones.
A long road back
The negotiations have a chequered history. India and Canada first launched CEPA talks in 2015 and held more than half a dozen rounds before the process was suspended in 2017. Talks resumed in March 2022, initially focused on an interim Early Progress Trade Agreement, but were halted again in 2023 after then Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged a possible Indian link to the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar — a claim India dismissed as "preposterous".
Ties have since been on the mend. Canadian Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu, who met Goyal in Mumbai last month to review progress, is expected to visit New Delhi later this month with a 300-member business delegation. Carney has also said that Prime Minister Modi is expected to visit Canada in December.
With the December deadline now visible, this week's round in Ottawa is being seen as the most consequential so far in the revived negotiations.
Sources:
ET Manufacturing: India-Canada trade deal: CEPA talks to enter fifth round on October 5
The Tribune: India, Canada begin 5th round of comprehensive trade agreement talks
