India and Canada advance CEPA trade talks toward 2026 completion

India’s Chief Economic Adviser V. Anantha Nageswaran met with Canadian High Commissioner Christopher Cooter in New Delhi to review progress after the third round of negotiations for the India‑Canada Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) held in Ottawa from July 6‑10. Both sides said the talks made positive progress across multiple tracks and reaffirmed a shared commitment to conclude the deal by 2026.

The CEPA is expected to go beyond a traditional goods‑focused free trade agreement, covering services, investment, government procurement, digital trade and sustainable development. Officials discussed market access, rules of origin and cooperation in sectors such as critical minerals, clean technology, agriculture and pharmaceuticals. Canada supplies India with potash, pulses and energy, while India exports pharmaceuticals, textiles, engineering goods and IT services.

The agreement is part of India’s broader strategy to diversify trade partnerships, adding to recent deals with the UAE, Australia and the EFTA bloc, while Canada sees India as its 10th‑largest trading partner and a key market in its Indo‑Pacific outreach.