India, Canada conclude second round of Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) talks, next meet in July

NEW DELHI: India and Canada concluded the second round of negotiations for the proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) after five days of talks held from May 4–8 at Vanijya Bhawan, according to a joint statement issued on Friday.

The discussions covered a wide range of issues, including trade in goods and services, intellectual property, rules of origin, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, and technical barriers to trade. Both countries described the negotiations as constructive and productive, reaffirming their commitment to achieving a balanced and mutually beneficial trade agreement aimed at strengthening bilateral economic ties.

The two sides agreed to continue negotiations in a cooperative spirit and confirmed that the next round of talks will take place in July in Ottawa, while intersessional engagements will continue in the meantime. The negotiations are being conducted under the Terms of Reference signed by the trade ministers of both countries on March 2.

The latest talks come ahead of Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal’s planned visit to Canada later this month, as both nations seek to accelerate economic engagement and increase bilateral trade significantly by 2030. A senior official said efforts are being made to fast-track negotiations so the agreement can be concluded by the end of the year, in line with commitments made earlier by the prime ministers of both countries.

The first round of CEPA negotiations was held in March after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. Carney’s visit was viewed as a turning point in India-Canada relations, which had deteriorated sharply during former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s tenure amid tensions over Sikh extremism and anti-India activities in Canada.

During their March meeting, Modi and Carney agreed to deepen cooperation in sectors such as energy and critical minerals and set a year-end target for completing the CEPA negotiations. The leaders also expressed confidence that a comprehensive trade framework could help expand bilateral trade to CAD 70 billion by 2030. (IANS)

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