India and Canada fast-track CEPA negotiations, next round begins October 5
NEW DELHI: India and Canada have agreed to accelerate negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, with the next round of talks scheduled to begin on October 5.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on September 21 that the fourth round of negotiations with Canadian Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu had concluded and that both sides had decided to increase the pace of discussions.
The two countries are working towards concluding the proposed trade agreement by the end of 2026. The next round will be the fifth round of negotiations under the renewed process.
Goyal described the latest discussions as productive and said the negotiating teams would continue working on the agreement from October 5.
India and Canada had formally relaunched negotiations for a comprehensive trade agreement after a period of strain in bilateral relations. The two governments signed the Terms of Reference for the new CEPA process in March 2026 during Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to India.
The proposed agreement is aimed at expanding trade and investment between the two countries and improving market access for businesses.
Bilateral trade between India and Canada was around US$8 billion in the 2025-26 financial year, according to figures cited by the Commerce Ministry. India’s exports to Canada were valued at about US$4.67 billion, while imports stood at around US$3.28 billion.
The negotiations cover a wide range of trade-related issues and are being conducted through discussions between the two countries’ negotiating teams.
Goyal said the next 90 days would be an important period for the bilateral relationship as both sides work towards greater economic engagement.
Canada had earlier indicated that it also wanted to complete the CEPA negotiations by the end of 2026.
The latest development comes amid efforts by New Delhi and Ottawa to strengthen economic engagement and expand areas of cooperation.
The October 5 round will provide another opportunity for the two sides to address outstanding issues and work towards the proposed agreement.
Any final CEPA would still need to go through the required domestic procedures in both countries before it could come into effect.
