Canada-India trade deal talks expected to conclude by November, Modi visit planned for December

Canada and India are expected to complete negotiations on a proposed free trade agreement by November, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to visit Canada in December, according to India’s High Commissioner to Canada Dinesh Patnaik.

Patnaik said the ongoing negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement are expected to conclude by November, potentially paving the way for Prime Minister Mark Carney and Modi to sign the agreement in December.

Carney has said Modi is expected to visit Canada around Dec. 14-15. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Carney described the trade discussions between the two countries as moving in a positive direction.

The proposed agreement is aimed at strengthening trade and economic ties between Canada and India. The two countries formally resumed negotiations earlier this year and have set a broader goal of concluding the agreement by the end of 2026.

India has also proposed a Trusted Traveller Program, modelled on the Canada-U.S. NEXUS program, to make travel easier for professionals between the two countries. Patnaik said the proposal could be discussed after the trade agreement negotiations are completed.