Canada PM Carney to Visit India in Early March for Trade Talks

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will visit India in early March for talks focused on trade and investment, an Ontario government minister said on Monday, as Ottawa looks to deepen economic ties with one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies.

Carney is expected to travel to New Delhi on March 1–2, where he will hold discussions with Narendra Modi, according to Ontario’s Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, Victor Fedeli, who is currently in India.

The visit comes as Canada seeks to diversify trade away from the United States, its largest trading partner, amid growing uncertainty in global trade and the continued risk of tariff-related disputes. India has emerged as a priority market for Canada’s trade strategy due to its large consumer base and expanding manufacturing and technology sectors.

• Mark Carney to visit India for trade and investment talks
• Canada seeks to diversify trade beyond United States through India
• India Canada CEPA negotiations regain momentum ahead of March visit

Fedeli said Carney’s discussions with Modi would focus on advancing negotiations toward a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, aimed at lowering trade barriers and increasing foreign investment flows. Talks on a broader trade pact have been intermittent in recent years but regained momentum after both leaders agreed to restart negotiations during the G20 summit in November.

Ontario, Canada’s most populous province and economic hub, has seen bilateral trade with India grow by about 60% since 2018, Fedeli said. Several Indian firms, including Tata Consultancy Services and HCLTech, have expanded operations in the province, particularly in technology, financial services, and advanced manufacturing.

The trip also follows a period of strained Canada-India relations after allegations by Ottawa in 2023 related to the killing of a Sikh separatist leader, which New Delhi denied. Officials on both sides have since signalled interest in stabilising ties through economic engagement.

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Canadian officials view closer cooperation with India as key to boosting exports, securing critical minerals, and expanding partnerships in clean energy and technology, areas expected to feature prominently during Carney’s visit.