Ottawa/New Delhi, May 26 (IANS) After high-level trade talks in Ottawa, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will lead the Indian business delegation through an intensive programme of industry roundtables and B2B engagements in Toronto from May 26–27, aimed at translating ministerial-level commitment into concrete commercial partnerships across priority sectors, the government said on Tuesday.
The visit carries forward the mandate set by Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Mark Carney during Carney’s New Delhi visit in March 2026, and builds on sustained high-level engagement between the two countries since mid-2025.
With bilateral trade currently standing at approximately $8.5 billion, both governments have set an ambitious shared target of expanding this to $50 billion by 2030.
Goyal arrived in Ottawa, heading the largest-ever Indian business delegation to Canada comprising industry leaders from over 100 companies, in a landmark step towards the full revival of India-Canada economic relations, according to Commerce Ministry.
The three-day visit to Canada is aimed at advancing bilateral trade and economic ties between India and Canada, with a particular focus on accelerating the ongoing negotiations for the India-Canada Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), the ministry added.
In Ottawa, Goyal held a series of high-level meetings with senior Canadian leaders and Ministers to deepen bilateral cooperation across trade, investment, technology, agriculture, and strategic sectors.
Calling on Carney, Goyal conveyed warm greetings from Prime Minister Modi. Both sides held forward-looking discussions on further deepening bilateral cooperation across multiple domains and expressed optimism towards the early conclusion of the India-Canada CEPA.
Carney affirmed that the proposed free trade agreement with India would be a game changer, unlocking a massive new market.
Goyal also held constructive bilateral discussions with Canada’s Minister of International Trade, Maninder Sidhu, on advancing the India-Canada CEPA negotiations. The CEPA is expected to strengthen economic partnerships and deliver tangible benefits to businesses and citizens of both countries, deepening the bilateral economic relationship to its fullest potential.
In a meeting with Canada’s Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Heath MacDonald, discussions centred on strengthening bilateral cooperation in agriculture, with a focus on food security, sustainability, and agri-technology.
Goyal also held wide-ranging talks with Canada’s Foreign Minister, Anita Anand, and emphasised the importance of trade, investment, and technology linkages for the India-Canada Strategic Partnership.
He highlighted India’s expanding infrastructure, renewable energy, logistics, digital infrastructure, and consumer sectors as offering significant opportunities for greater collaboration and long-term Canadian investments.
–IANS
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