OTTAWA — Expanding the Canada-India relationship will be a central focus as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney visits India later this week, with stops planned in Mumbai and New Delhi, where he is scheduled to hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
According to a statement released by the Canadian Prime Minister’s Office, the two leaders will focus on elevating and expanding bilateral ties through new partnerships in trade, energy, technology, artificial intelligence, talent, culture, and defense. Carney is also expected to meet with business leaders during the visit to identify investment opportunities in Canada and promote new partnerships between companies in both countries.
After completing his engagements in India, Carney will travel on to Australia and then Japan as part of a broader Indo-Pacific tour scheduled from February 26 to March 7. His office said the visits are aimed at deepening ties with key regional partners that are critical to Canada’s long-term security and economic prosperity.
“In a more uncertain world, Canada is focused on what we can control,” the Prime Minister’s Office said, noting that the government is working to diversify trade, attract new investment, and build international partnerships that support economic stability at home.
The Canadian government highlighted India’s status as the world’s fastest-growing major economy and a major force in global commerce and technology. India was Canada’s seventh-largest trading partner in goods and services in 2024, with two-way trade totaling $30.8 billion.
Modi and Carney last met on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg in November, where Modi noted that the two countries had set a target of reaching $50 billion in bilateral trade by 2030. He also pointed to growing interest from Canadian pension funds in Indian companies.
Earlier this month, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand met External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar during the Munich Security Conference in Germany. In a statement following the meeting, the Canadian government said it marked the fifth ministerial-level engagement between the two sides since September 2025, reflecting growing momentum in the bilateral relationship built on more than 75 years of diplomatic ties and strong people-to-people connections.
The ministers discussed deepening cooperation in areas including energy, technology, and trade, while reaffirming their commitment to implementing priorities outlined in the joint road map for Canada-India relations. Both sides emphasized the importance of expanding and diversifying trade to support long-term economic resilience and stability.
Jaishankar said the discussions were productive and focused on further strengthening bilateral ties across multiple sectors. (Source: IANS)
