वाणिज्य और उद्योग मंत्री Piyush Goyal will head a business delegation of over 150 members to Canada from May 25‑27, 2026. The mission aims to attract investment, deepen collaboration and accelerate negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
Key Developments
- High‑level meetings with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and his counterpart Maninder Sidhu.
- Engagement with the Maple 8 pension funds to secure long‑term capital for Indian projects.
- Discussions on expanding the presence of Canadian firms in India from the current 600 to 1,000 companies.
- Target to raise bilateral trade to $50 billion within five years, up from $8.66 billion in FY 2024‑25.
Important Facts
Canada’s eight major pension funds manage roughly CAD 2.4 trillion in assets. They invest across sectors such as infrastructure, technology, real estate, energy and private equity.
The two countries are negotiating a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). Two rounds of talks have been completed.
Canada’s market size is about 41.65 million people (2025) with a GDP of $2.34 trillion at PPP terms.
Key Indian exports to Canada include pharmaceuticals, iron and steel, seafood, cotton garments, electronic goods and chemicals. Imports from Canada consist of pulses, pearls, semi‑precious stones, coal, fertiliser, paper and crude petroleum.