Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal held bilateral discussions with Canada's Minister of International Trade, Maninder Sidhu, in Ottawa on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, focused on advancing negotiations for the India-Canada Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). Both sides directed their negotiating teams to work toward a balanced, commercially meaningful, and ambitious agreement that delivers tangible benefits to businesses and citizens of both nations.

Context

Minister Goyal described the Ottawa meeting as 'constructive,' stating that both sides provided 'clear guidance to our teams to work towards a balanced, commercially meaningful and ambitious agreement that strengthens economic partnerships and delivers tangible benefits to businesses and citizens of both countries.' The meeting marks a renewed push to inject momentum into trade talks that have been in motion for over a decade.

The India-Canada CEPA negotiations were formally launched in November 2010 during then-Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper's visit to India. The proposed pact covers goods, services, investment, and regulatory cooperation between the two economies.

Policy Backdrop

India, now the world's fifth-largest economy, has accelerated its pursuit of comprehensive bilateral trade agreements with developed economies to diversify export markets and integrate into global value chains. Canada, a G7 member with strengths in resources, technology, and services, has long been identified as a priority partner in this outreach.

The CEPA push also fits within India's broader Indo-Pacific engagement strategy, which emphasises economic diversification beyond traditional partners. Alongside Canada, India has pursued or concluded similar agreements with partners including Australia, the UAE, and the United Kingdom.

Stakeholders and Impact

A concluded CEPA would open significant opportunities for Indian exporters in sectors such as textiles, pharmaceuticals, IT services, and agri-products, while offering Canadian businesses improved access to one of the world's fastest-growing consumer markets. Both governments have framed the agreement as a vehicle for job creation and supply-chain integration.

The bilateral trade relationship also carries a strong people-to-people dimension, given the large and economically active Indian diaspora in Canada. A commercially meaningful CEPA is widely seen as capable of formalising and scaling up economic ties that already exist at the community level.

What's Next

The immediate focus will be on whether the political-level guidance issued in Ottawa translates into a concrete timeline for the next formal round of CEPA negotiations. Observers will watch for any agreed scope adjustments or a target date for concluding talks, both of which would signal how seriously both sides intend to accelerate the process.

With Minister Goyal's visit establishing a fresh political mandate at the ministerial level, the onus now falls on negotiating teams from both sides to convert that direction into measurable progress on the outstanding chapters of the agreement.