India and Canada are looking to take their ties to a “higher level”, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to visit Canada in December as both countries work to complete a major trade agreement.
The two countries are negotiating a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which is aimed at taking bilateral trade to $50 billion by 2030.
The expected Modi visit and the next round of trade talks on October 5 come as New Delhi and Ottawa continue to rebuild ties after a major diplomatic dispute in 2023.
Jaishankar, Anita Anand meet at UNGA
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on Saturday.
Sharing a short video of the meeting on X, Jaishankar said the talks were productive. “Always a pleasure to meet FM @AnitaAnandMP of Canada… A productive discussion as we prepare to take the relationship to a higher level,” he said.
Anand also spoke about India’s importance to Canada during her address to the UNGA General Debate on Saturday. She said Canada was focusing on areas it could control as it works to strengthen its economy. This includes diversifying its trade and attracting $1 trillion in investment over the next five years.
Canada is now looking for new opportunities with countries in the Indo-Pacific, the Gulf region and Latin America. “This includes building renewed partnerships with large economies like India and China,” Anand said.
She also highlighted Canada’s work with India and other countries on strengthening multilateralism and pushing for reforms at the United Nations.
Earlier this week, India co-sponsored an inaugural multilateralism summit at the UN headquarters along with Australia, Barbados, Brazil, Canada and Kenya.
Modi expected in Canada in December
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney had earlier said that Modi was expected to visit Canada around December. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the UNGA on Tuesday, Carney said trade talks with India were making good progress.
“We are making good progress in our trade negotiations with India. It is an exceptionally important relationship on many levels: people-to-people levels, security levels, and also trade and economic levels,” he said.
Carney was responding to questions about Modi’s possible visit and how close the two countries were to reaching a trade agreement.
He also recalled the commitment made by India and Canada at the G20 last year to “look to conclude negotiations by the G20 this year”. If Modi travels to Canada in December, it would be his first bilateral visit to the country since 2015
India-Canada trade talks
India and Canada have agreed to speed up negotiations for the CEPA. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Canada’s International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu have held several rounds of talks and meetings.
Goyal had earlier said that the next round of negotiations would begin on October 5. The proposed agreement aims to increase bilateral trade to $50 billion by 2030.
Investment is also an important part of the relationship. Canadian pension funds are already among the biggest global institutional investors in Indian infrastructure, transport networks and commercial real estate.
A formal trade agreement could further expand these investment ties. The two countries have also launched a new bilateral strategy to reduce dependence on global supply chains and secure resources needed for next-generation technologies.
The strategy focuses on four areas: nuclear energy, critical minerals, clean energy and allied sectors. The final text of the CEPA has not been made public yet. Therefore, the exact areas that will be covered by the agreement are not known.
Such agreements can cover more than tariffs on goods and may also include services, investment and regulatory cooperation.
The trade push comes at a time when both India and Canada are looking to diversify their economic relationships amid trade and tariff pressure from the US.
Both countries are seeking greater strategic autonomy and want to reduce their dependence on individual markets and supply chains.
How India-Canada ties changed after 2023
The latest efforts to improve relations come after a major diplomatic crisis between the two countries. Ties deteriorated sharply in 2023 under former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau.
Trudeau had said that Canadian security agencies were investigating allegations of a possible link between Indian government agents and the killing of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia.
India rejected the allegation. The dispute resulted in both countries expelling diplomats and reducing their diplomatic presence. Relations began to improve after Mark Carney became Canada’s prime minister in March 2025.
In June 2025, Carney and Modi agreed to take calibrated steps to restore stability between the two countries. High commissioners later returned, followed by several high-level meetings.
If PM Modi visits Canada in December, it would be his first bilateral trip to the country since 2015. Anand has also met Jaishankar several times since becoming Canada’s foreign minister in 2025.
The next major step will be the October 5 round of India-Canada trade negotiations. The two sides are working towards completing the CEPA negotiations, with Modi’s expected December visit providing a possible deadline for signing the agreement.
Whether the remaining differences can be resolved before then will determine if the trade pact moves from negotiations to a final agreement.