Canadian PM Mark Carney to visit India this week, hold talks with PM Modi

Expanding Canada-India relationship will be in focus as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney visits India later this week during which he will first travel to Mumbai and then visit New Delhi, where he is scheduled to hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

"The leaders will focus on elevating and expanding the Canada-India relationship, with ambitious new partnerships in trade, energy, technology and artificial intelligence (AI), talent and culture, and defence. He will meet with business leaders to identify investment opportunities in Canada and create new partnerships between businesses in both nations," a statement released by Canadian Prime Minister's Office stated on Monday.

After concluding his engagements in India, Carney will travel to Australia and then head to Japan. His visit to India, Australia and Japan is scheduled from February 26 to March 7. "Through these visits to three of Canada’s strongest Indo-Pacific partners, the Prime Minister will deepen regional ties that are critical to our security and prosperity," Carney's office stated.

"In a more uncertain world, Canada is focused on what we can control. We are diversifying our trade and attracting massive new investment to create new opportunities for our workers and businesses. We are forging new partnerships abroad to create greater certainty, security and prosperity at home," it added.

The Canadian PMO highlighted that India is the world’s fastest-growing major economy and a powerhouse in global commerce and technology. India was Canada’s seventh-largest goods and services trading partner in 2024, with two-way trade reaching $30.8 billion.

PM Modi met Carney on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg last November, where he noted that India has set a target of 50 billion USD by 2030 for bilateral trade between the two countries.

Prime Minister Modi mentioned that India and Canada have great potential in strengthening trade and investment linkages.

“We have set a target of 50 billion USD by 2030 for our bilateral trade. Canadian Pension Funds are also showing keen interest in Indian companies,” he posted on X after the meeting.

Earlier this month, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand met External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference in Germany.

In an official press release, the Government of Canada stated, "This marks the fifth meeting between the ministers since September 2025, reflecting the growing momentum in the Canada-India relationship, building on more than 75 years of diplomatic relations and strong people-to-people ties. The ministers discussed deepening cooperation in several areas, including energy, technology, and trade."

Highlighting India’s expanding global role, the Canadian government noted, “As one of the world’s most dynamic and growing economies, Minister Anand noted India’s importance as a partner for Canada.” The ministers “affirmed the shared technological benefits and significant partnership opportunities for both countries’ businesses, industries, and workers.”

Both sides underscored the substantive progress made on the joint road map for Canada-India relations and reiterated their commitment to strengthening ties through the implementation of road map priorities as well as expanding and diversifying Canada-India trade in support of economic resilience and stability.

EAM Jaishankar said that he had a fruitful conversation with his Canadian counterpart with both ministers discussing further strengthening of the bilateral ties in various sectors.

Picture Courtesy: IANS