Canadian High Commissioner Calls 2026 CEPA Target Achievable
Canadian High Commissioner to India Chris Cooter has described the timeline for concluding the proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and Canada by the end of 2026 as 'very realistic,' pointing to strong political and business momentum behind the negotiations. His remarks follow a meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on the sidelines of the G7 Summit 2026 in France, where both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to finalise the trade pact this year.
Political Will Driving Negotiations
In an exclusive interview with ANI, Cooter stated, 'I think it's very realistic. There are a couple of reasons for that. Probably the most important one is that our two Prime Ministers want it to happen.' He noted that both leaders have repeatedly emphasised the importance of the trade agreement and that negotiations have been actively progressing over the past few months. 'The political will is there. We want to do this. We know we need it,' he added.
Business Community Pushing for Agreement
Cooter highlighted that the business community on both sides is also pushing the agreement forward. 'The business community wants this to happen. We have trade that is respectable. It needs to be much, much bigger,' he said. He pointed to existing investments, noting that Canada has nearly $109 billion invested in India, accounting for almost 25 per cent of Canada's total investment in the Indo-Pacific, while Indian investments in Canada stand at around $11 billion.
Untapped Potential in Key Sectors
Calling the current commercial relationship 'modest' relative to its potential, Cooter identified critical minerals, defence, and aerospace as sectors offering major growth opportunities. 'One of the things that's been striking about the relationship, the commercial relationship, is actually how modest it is, particularly in certain areas. You can look at critical minerals, defence, aerospace... it's nothing like the potential,' he said.
CEPA Beyond Traditional Tariff Reductions
Emphasising the economic logic behind the CEPA, Cooter said the agreement would go beyond traditional tariff reductions. 'It makes sense for us to have a free trade agreement, which we're calling a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, because it's more than just old-fashioned two-way trade. We want something broader,' he explained.
Recent High-Level Visits Reinforce Commitment
Last month, Union Minister of Commerce Piyush Goyal visited Canada with the largest Indian business delegation in the country's history, showcasing India's commitment to resetting ties and concluding the CEPA by the end of 2026. Speaking alongside Canada's International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu, Goyal highlighted steps taken to rejuvenate the relationship, including Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's visit to India in February 2026, which he said set in 'motion the pathway of this relationship.' Goyal stated that India aims not only to conclude the trade agreement by the end of 2026 but also to triple bilateral trade from the current $17 billion to $50 billion by 2030.
Joint Press Release Welcomes Positive Momentum
According to a joint press release from India's Ministry of External Affairs, both Prime Ministers welcomed the 'positive momentum' in bilateral ties and reviewed progress in economic cooperation, including commercial arrangements related to LNG, LPG, and metallurgical coal.
Proposed Visit of PM Modi to Canada
During the G7 summit, Prime Minister Carney invited Modi to visit Canada later this year, with both sides expected to remain engaged diplomatically to finalise the visit. The proposed visit is seen as another step in consolidating the growing India-Canada partnership.
