India, Canada to hold next round of trade pact talks from October 5: Goyal

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal announced that the next round of negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and Canada will take place from October 5. Goyal emphasized that the upcoming 90 days are crucial for strengthening the relationship between the two nations. The fourth round of negotiations concluded on September 18, and both countries are aiming to finalize the talks by the end of the year.

Canada's International Trade Minister, Maninder Sidhu, recently visited Mumbai to engage in discussions with Goyal. The countries intend to expedite the negotiations, leading to the fifth round on October 5. India's major exports to Canada include pharmaceuticals, iron and steel, seafood, cotton garments, electronic goods, and chemicals. In return, Canada mainly imports pulses, pearls, semi-precious stones, coal, fertilizers, paper, and crude petroleum from India.

India's services exports to Canada are primarily telecommunications, computer and information services, and other business services. The total two-way trade reached USD 30.4 billion in 2025, with a target of doubling to USD 70 billion by 2030. Goyal also mentioned that the India-EU trade pact is expected to be ratified by the EU parliament within the next three months, potentially coming into effect within six to seven months.

Additionally, Goyal highlighted the progress of the India-Chile trade agreement, stating that Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal recently visited Chile to assess the talks' development. Goyal expressed optimism about receiving positive news in the coming months.