India and Canada will sit down for a fresh round of trade negotiations on October 5, Canadian International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu announced after meeting India’s Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on the sidelines of the G20 Trade Ministers’ Meeting in Milwaukee, as both countries push to conclude a deal before the end of the year.
The meeting followed the fourth round of negotiations in Mumbai and signals an acceleration of economic engagement between the two nations, which have set an ambitious target of reaching $70 billion in two-way trade by 2030, up from more than $30 billion today.
A deal that works for both sides
Sidhu said the discussions were not simply about concluding an agreement, but about securing one that works for businesses and workers in both countries. In a social media post after the Milwaukee meeting, he wrote that both sides want to “advance negotiations to conclude towards a deal before the end of this year”.
The renewed talks mark a continued rebuilding of the economic relationship after a period of strained diplomatic ties that had disrupted high-level contacts and stalled commercial negotiations. Commerce has now returned to near the centre of the bilateral relationship.
Team Canada heads to India
Alongside the government-to-government talks, Ottawa is planning a major commercial push. Sidhu said he will lead a Team Canada Trade Mission to India this month with nearly 300 Canadian delegates from businesses across key sectors, aiming to make connections, find new customers and pursue opportunities in one of the world’s fastest-growing markets.
The minister identified critical minerals, energy, agriculture and technology among the sectors where Canadian companies are looking for openings. The scale of the delegation underlines growing Canadian business interest in India at the same time as negotiators seek greater market access and deeper investment flows on both sides.
Source: Ommcom News