Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney held a phone call on Tuesday night, October 13, and agreed to work toward concluding a long-pending trade agreement between the two countries at the earliest opportunity, giving fresh momentum to a bilateral relationship that has been steadily improving over the past year.
The two leaders reaffirmed their "commitment to conclude CEPA negotiations at the earliest opportunity, supporting efforts to double two-way trade by 2030", according to a press release from the Office of the Prime Minister of Canada. The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement has been under discussion for years and is seen as the anchor of a wider economic reset between New Delhi and Ottawa.
Describing the conversation as warm and productive, Modi said the two sides had agreed to build on the positive momentum in ties and pursue concrete outcomes across trade, energy, technology, security and people-to-people links. "Together, India and Canada are contributing towards a more stable and prosperous world," he added.
Team Canada trade mission in Delhi
The call came as senior Canadian ministers are in the Indian capital for high-level talks. Foreign Minister Anita Anand arrived in India on Tuesday — her third visit since June 2025 — for meetings with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, while International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu is leading a Team Canada Trade Mission of about 300 delegates, the largest Canadian corporate delegation to visit India in three decades, with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal among his counterparts.
The two leaders also discussed the impact of geopolitical instability on the Indo-Pacific and the need for trusted partners in energy and agriculture. Carney thanked Modi for his leadership in seeking a peaceful resolution to Russia's war on Ukraine, and welcomed a bilateral security dialogue held in India last week as part of National Security Advisor-level engagement between the two countries.
The prime ministers agreed to stay in close contact ahead of Modi's planned visit to Canada in December.
Sources: 'Commitment to conclude CEPA negotiations at earliest opportunity': PM Modi, Carney discuss bilateral ties (ANI via Lokmat Times)
The two leaders reaffirmed their "commitment to conclude CEPA negotiations at the earliest opportunity, supporting efforts to double two-way trade by 2030", according to a press release from the Office of the Prime Minister of Canada. The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement has been under discussion for years and is seen as the anchor of a wider economic reset between New Delhi and Ottawa.
Describing the conversation as warm and productive, Modi said the two sides had agreed to build on the positive momentum in ties and pursue concrete outcomes across trade, energy, technology, security and people-to-people links. "Together, India and Canada are contributing towards a more stable and prosperous world," he added.
Team Canada trade mission in Delhi
The call came as senior Canadian ministers are in the Indian capital for high-level talks. Foreign Minister Anita Anand arrived in India on Tuesday — her third visit since June 2025 — for meetings with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, while International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu is leading a Team Canada Trade Mission of about 300 delegates, the largest Canadian corporate delegation to visit India in three decades, with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal among his counterparts.
The two leaders also discussed the impact of geopolitical instability on the Indo-Pacific and the need for trusted partners in energy and agriculture. Carney thanked Modi for his leadership in seeking a peaceful resolution to Russia's war on Ukraine, and welcomed a bilateral security dialogue held in India last week as part of National Security Advisor-level engagement between the two countries.
The prime ministers agreed to stay in close contact ahead of Modi's planned visit to Canada in December.
Sources: 'Commitment to conclude CEPA negotiations at earliest opportunity': PM Modi, Carney discuss bilateral ties (ANI via Lokmat Times)
