PM Modi Expected To Visit Canada In December To Sign Trade Deal: Report

Last Updated:September 23, 2026, 01:23 IST

Dinesh Patnaik, India’s High Commissioner to Canada, said he expects the deal under negotiation to be finalised by November.

Canadian PM Mark Carney (L) moved to repair the relationship with India, inviting PM Narendra Modi (R) to the G7 summit in Kananaskis in June last year. (Image: Reuters/File)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit Canada in December to sign a free-trade agreement, the Globe and Mail reported on Tuesday.

Speaking to the paper, Dinesh Patnaik, India’s High Commissioner to Canada, said he expects the deal under negotiation to be finalised by November, with PM Modi arriving the following month to formally sign it.

Patnaik added that he expects PM Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to sign additional agreements on defence and aerospace during the visit, alongside further commitments under the “Talent and Innovation Strategy” launched in February to strengthen educational ties between the two countries.

Talks gather pace

Canada opened negotiations on the trade deal in November 2025, part of Carney’s broader push to reduce economic reliance on an increasingly unpredictable and protectionist United States under President Donald Trump.

Carney used his first official visit to India as prime minister earlier this year to mend ties strained since 2023, when his predecessor Justin Trudeau publicly accused India of involvement in the killing of Canadian Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar — an allegation New Delhi has consistently denied.

Since Carney took office, relations between the two countries have markedly improved, with PM Modi and Carney holding several bilateral meetings, including during Carney’s India visit and on the sidelines of the G7 Summit.

The push to conclude the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) gained fresh momentum on Monday, when Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal announced that the fifth round of negotiations would begin on 5 October, following the conclusion of the fourth round on 18 September.

“The next 90 days should be a very defining period in the Canada-India relationship,” Goyal told reporters, adding that both sides had agreed to fast-track talks with a view to concluding them by year-end.

Trade ties on the rise

India’s key exports to Canada include pharmaceuticals, iron and steel, seafood and electronic goods, while imports from Canada include pulses, coal and fertilisers. Two-way trade stood at USD 30.4 billion in 2025, with both countries targeting a doubling to USD 70 billion by 2030.

The Canada push comes as India faces separate trade pressure from the US, after Trump signed a law authorising tariffs of up to 100 per cent on countries buying Russian oil and gas, including India.

Goyal said the government was studying the details before responding. Meanwhile, India’s trade pact with the EU is expected to take effect within six to seven months, and talks with Chile are also progressing well, he added.

(With inputs from agencies)

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When is Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to visit Canada?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit Canada in December to formally sign a free-trade agreement.

What is the bilateral trade target for India and Canada by 2030?

Two-way trade between India and Canada stood at USD 30.4 billion in 2025, with both countries targeting a doubling of that figure to USD 70 billion by 2030.

When did Canada open negotiations on the trade deal with India?

Canada opened negotiations on the trade deal in November 2025 as part of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s push to reduce economic reliance on the United States.

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