Canada and India are poised to announce a series of sector specific agreements as Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived in New Delhi ahead of high level talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, signalling renewed momentum in trade, energy and strategic cooperation.
Carney landed in the Indian capital on Sunday evening and was received by Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jatin Prasad. He was welcomed by Assam’s Bihu dancers in a ceremonial reception. Welcome hoardings lined parts of the route to the delegation’s hotel, underscoring the significance India has attached to the visit.
Billboards in New Delhi up for PM Carney’s visit to India.
Most of the anticipated agreements will be finalized in New Delhi in the presence of both leaders. Officials involved in the discussions say the package will span energy, agriculture, trade and potentially defence. A senior Indian official described the expected outcomes as a “large number” of agreements across multiple sectors.
CEPA Negotiations Set to Be Announced
A central development is the expected launch of formal negotiations toward a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, or CEPA, following the bilateral meeting between Carney and Modi on Monday.
Speaking earlier at the Canada India Growth and Investment Forum in Mumbai, Carney described India as a “natural partner” for Canada, even as both countries manage differences in certain areas. Canada’s Minister of International Trade Maninder Sidhu and Indian officials have expressed confidence that talks toward CEPA could move on an accelerated timeline this year.
A renewed trade pact would deepen economic integration, expand market access and strengthen supply chains between two major Indo Pacific economies.
Uranium Supply and Broader Strategic Cooperation
Energy cooperation will feature prominently on the agenda. Among the deals under discussion is a decade long agreement for uranium supply from Canadian company Cameco to support India’s nuclear power sector.
India’s High Commissioner to Ottawa, Dinesh Patnaik, said before the visit that “all aspects” of the bilateral relationship would be addressed. He cited nuclear, oil and gas, critical minerals, education, research, innovation, AI, defence, culture, aerospace, parliamentary cooperation and agri foods as areas of engagement.
“This visit is to show that India and Canada can interact on every possible sector and area that defines a relationship between two countries,” he noted.
As Carney begins formal talks in New Delhi, the breadth of agreements under consideration points to a broader effort by Ottawa and New Delhi to stabilize and expand ties, with trade negotiations and long term energy cooperation likely to shape the next phase of Canada India relations.
