The Commerce Ministry has said that India and Canada will hold the next round of negotiations for the proposed free trade agreement (FTA) in July in Ottawa, Canada. The second round of negotiations for the proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) was held from May 4 to May 8 in New Delhi. Both sides described the negotiations as ‘constructive and productive’ and reaffirmed their shared commitment to advancing a balanced, ambitious, and mutually beneficial agreement aimed at strengthening bilateral trade and economic ties.
The Ministry said during the second round, the discussions covered areas including trade in goods, services, intellectual property, rules of origin, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, and technical barriers to trade, among others. It said the negotiations are important as the two sides have fixed a target to increase the bilateral trade to $50 billion by 2030. It noted that bilateral trade between the two countries stood at $8.66 billion in FY25, with India exporting goods worth $4.22 billion and importing goods worth $4.44 billion.
Canada represents a market of 41.65 million people (2025) and a GDP of $2.34 trillion at purchasing power parity. India’s key exports to Canada include pharmaceuticals, iron and steel, seafood, cotton garments, electronic goods and chemicals, among others, while major imports include pulses, pearls and semi-precious stones, coal, fertiliser, paper and petroleum crude. India also exports significant services to Canada, particularly in telecommunications, computer and information services, and other business services.
