New Delhi [India], September 16 (ANI): India and Canada are working to conclude negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) before the end of this year, with the fourth round of talks currently underway, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal said on Tuesday.
During a media briefing on Tuesday, Agarwal said India and Canada have already concluded negotiations on two chapters of the proposed agreement, while discussions on the remaining chapters are ongoing.
“Two chapters have already been concluded, but remaining all the chapters, the negotiations are undertaken,” he noted.
Agarwal said the fourth round of negotiations will continue for five days, with both sides seeking substantial progress given the tight timeline for concluding the agreement.
“The fourth round of discussions are ongoing for Canada Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). We have a large negotiating team from Canada, comprising of 48 officials who have come into India, and the discussions are taking across all the chapters that are on the table,” he said.
Agarwal further said the ongoing fourth round of negotiations is expected to be an “intense week of negotiation.”
Earlier, in a significant development towards strengthening India-Canada economic ties, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal visited Canada in May, leading a business delegation to the country, comprising industry leaders from over 100 companies.
The three-day visit, covering Ottawa and Toronto, focused on advancing bilateral trade and economic ties, with particular emphasis on accelerating negotiations for the India-Canada Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).
CEPA negotiations have gathered pace since the Terms of Reference were signed in March 2025. The first round of talks was held virtually in March 2026, followed by a second round that concluded on May 8. Technical negotiations were subsequently held in Ottawa from May 25 to 29 alongside Goyal’s visit.
“With bilateral trade currently standing at approximately USD 8.5 billion, both governments have set an ambitious shared target of expanding this to USD 50 billion by 2030,” Ministry of Commerce & Industry said in a release.
As per the data shared by the Candian government, two-way merchandise trade between Canada and India reached USD 10.9 billion in 2025, with Canadian exports to India at USD 3.9 billion and imports from India at USD 7 billion.
Canadian exports to India declined 26.5 per cent from 2024, led by lower shipments of metal ores and non-metallic minerals, forestry products, farm and food products, and energy. Imports from India, however, rose 18.9 per cent, driven by consumer goods, machinery, chemicals and electronic equipment. (ANI)
India, Canada working to close CEPA before end of 2026: Commerce Secy Rajesh Agarwal
