Archive · 13 Nov 2025
Canada Seeks Fresh Start in Trade Talks with India
Canada and India are trying to become better business friends again.
Canada's trade minister visited India and met with India's commerce minister.
They talked about working together in exciting areas like space stuff, smart computers (AI), important rocks and metals, energy, and farming.
Canada wants India to invest in their mines for these special metals.
Trade between them is already pretty big, and India is also a major place where people come from to live and study in Canada.
They had paused talking about a big trade deal before, but now they want to start those talks again with a new plan.
This meeting is a big step to make their trade relationship stronger.
Canada and India are seeking to rebuild trade ties and explore new cooperation areas, with Canada proposing a 'new process' for trade talks.
Canadian Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu met with Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal in New Delhi to discuss potential collaborations.
Discussions focused on opportunities in sectors such as aerospace, AI, critical minerals, energy, and agriculture.
Bilateral trade between Canada and India reached approximately $31 billion in 2024, with a significant services export from Canada.
The meetings aim to enhance cooperation following a period of strained relations and the previous pause on trade pact negotiations by Canada in 2023.
- Who
- Canadian Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu and Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal
- What
- Held discussions to rebuild trade ties and explore new areas of cooperation, aiming to restart trade negotiations.
- When
- Monday (Sidhu's statement following the meeting)
- Where
- New Delhi
- Why
- To foster economic cooperation, attract investment, and re-establish trade relations after a period of strain.
Canada's Stance
India's Stance
Restarting Trade Negotiations
Canada's Stance
Canada is keen to restart trade negotiations under a new process, viewing global economic shifts as an opportunity.
India's Stance
India is participating in discussions to restart the process, with Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal committing to visit Canada with a delegation.
Areas of Cooperation
Canada's Stance
Canada is focused on opportunities in aerospace, AI, critical minerals, energy, agriculture, and attracting Indian investment in mining and infrastructure.
India's Stance
India's Commerce Minister also focused on similar sectors including critical minerals, clean energy, agriculture, and AI.
- Canadian Trade Minister Visit
- Three-day visit to India
- Meeting Participants
- Maninder Sidhu (Canadian Trade Minister), Piyush Goyal (India Commerce Minister)
- Key Sectors Discussed
- Aerospace, AI, Critical Minerals, Energy, Agriculture
- Bilateral Trade Value (2024)
- ~$31 billion
- India's Immigrant Source for Canada
- Largest source (393,000 students in 2024, 1.8 million Canadians of Indian origin)
- Previous Trade Pact Negotiations
- Paused by Canada in 2023
