The focus was on priority sectors such as critical minerals, clean energy, agriculture, artificial intelligence, aerospace, and health.

India-Canada Trade Talks: Strengthening Bilateral Economic Ties

India and Canada are taking decisive steps to renew and strengthen bilateral trade and investment ties after a two-year pause in negotiations. On Thursday, “Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal” and Canada’s “Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development Maninder Sidhu” co-chaired the “7th India-Canada Ministerial Dialogue on Trade and Investment (MDTI)” in New Delhi. The dialogue marked a “renewed phase of engagement aimed at reinvigorating bilateral trade and investment ties and setting a forward-looking agenda,” according to a Commerce Ministry statement.

Maninder Sidhu was on a three-day visit to India. He described the ministerial discussions as “very productive”. The focus was on priority sectors such as critical minerals, clean energy, agriculture, artificial intelligence, aerospace, and health. Both nations reaffirmed the strength of the India-Canada relationship based on democratic values, cultural diversity, and growing economic growth.

The dialogue also highlighted the “role of the Indian diaspora” in Canada, numbering nearly 2.9 million, and over 427,000 Indian students, highlighting their contribution to fostering “innovation, economic growth, and people-to-people ties”. Bilateral trade in goods and services stood at “USD 18.38 billion in 2023”, and the ministers welcomed the steady rise in “two-way investments”, committing to a transparent and predictable business environment to support sustainable growth.

The discussions covered a broad agenda, including “nutritional security, supply chain resilience, investment facilitation, and sectoral cooperation”. Both sides exchanged views on recent trade policy developments to “enhance market access, promote regulatory alignment, and strengthen economic resilience”.

Sidhu’s visit also symbolises the “normalisation of India-Canada ties”, which had deteriorated in 2023 following allegations concerned with the killing of Canadian Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. High-level engagements, including PM Modi’s meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the G7 Summit, laid the groundwork for the current dialogue.

Concluding the talks, both ministers reaffirmed their shared vision to revive the India–Canada economic partnership. They agreed to translate discussions into tangible outcomes that advance “shared prosperity”. With renewed momentum in trade, investment, and collaboration across multiple sectors, this dialogue symbolizes a “promising new chapter in India-Canada relations”.