Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal called on Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Ottawa and conveyed the greetings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In a social media post, Mr Goyal said that during their meeting they had forward-looking discussions on further deepening bilateral cooperation and expressed optimism towards the early conclusion of the India-Canada Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).

He added that the agreement will unlock new avenues of growth and prosperity for both nations. Recalling Mr Carney’s recent visit to India, Mr Goyal said the visit has imparted fresh momentum and renewed confidence to the India-Canada partnership.

The Minister also held wide-ranging talks with Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand and emphasised the importance of trade, investment and technology linkages for the India-Canada Strategic Partnership.

Mr Goyal highlighted that India’s expanding infrastructure, renewable energy, logistics, digital infrastructure, and consumer sectors, among others, offer significant opportunities for greater collaboration and investments.

Further, Mr Goyal held constructive bilateral discussions with Canada’s Minister of International Trade, Maninder Sidhu on advancing the India-Canada Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) negotiations.

During their meeting, the ministers provided clear guidance to the teams of both nations to work towards a balanced, commercially meaningful and ambitious agreement that strengthens India-Canada economic partnerships and delivers tangible benefits to businesses and citizens. He also held a meeting with Canada’s Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Heath MacDonald.

They discussed strengthening cooperation in agriculture, with a focus on food security, sustainability, agri-tech, and exploring opportunities for collaboration in the food processing sector, aimed at boosting the incomes of Indian farmers and producers.