Parliament Question: Bilateral Ties with Canada

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-2075 ANSWERED ON-31/07/2026 BILATERAL TIES WITH CANADA

2075. DR. GANAPATHY RAJKUMAR P THIRU THANGA TAMILSELVAN

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:- a) whether it is true that India and Canada have recently conclude negotiations on a free trade agreement and expressed satisfaction at progress in resetting bilateral ties after a troubled patch over the past few years, if so, the details thereof;

b) whether it is true that Prime Minister of India and Canada met during the G7 summit and welcomed positive momentum in bilateral relations of both countries, if so, the details thereof; c) the time period by which free trade agreement between India and Canada is likely to be implemented; and 1d) the salient features of the free trade agreement between two countries and the details of advantages likely to accrue to India from this agreement? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH) (a to d) Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi met Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on the margins of the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Evian, France, on 16 June 2026. The two Prime Ministers welcomed the positive momentum in India-Canada relations and noted with satisfaction the progress achieved since the commencement of the normalisation process in June 2025, including the return of their High Commissioners to each other’s capitals, the gradual restoration of mission personnel, the resumption of bilateral dialogue mechanisms across various sectors, and renewed high- level exchanges.

The proposed India-Canada CEPA aims to establish a free trade area through the elimination or reduction of tariffs and other restrictive 2regulations, progressively liberalise trade in goods and services, promote a more liberal, transparent, predictable and facilitative trade and investment regime, and strengthen economic cooperation and people-to-people linkages.

Three rounds of CEPA negotiations have been held so far, with the latest round taking place in Ottawa from 6–10 July 2026. Progress has been made across multiple negotiating tracks, with both sides working towards concluding the process by late 2026.

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