India Canada CEPA Nears End-2026 Finish Line

India and Canada took a decisive step towards resetting their economic relationship on Friday, as companies from both countries signed a series of commercial agreements and memoranda of understanding in Karnataka. The India Canada CEPA process moved to centre stage at the Canada-India Business Ceremony, attended by Canada's Minister of International Trade Maninder Sidhu, with both governments reaffirming their commitment to conclude negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement by the end of 2026. ## India Canada CEPA talks enter the final stretch According to a presentation by India's Ministry of Commerce and Industry, both countries have confirmed their target to complete negotiations on the proposed trade pact by the end of 2026. The fifth round of talks took place in Ottawa from October 5 to October 9, covering market access for goods and services, investment parameters, rules of origin, intellectual property rights and trade remedies. The next round is scheduled in New Delhi in early November. Bilateral trade between India and Canada stood at $7,956.43 million in fiscal 2026, according to government data. Official estimates suggest the India Canada CEPA could increase two-way trade by $4.4 billion to $6.5 billion, while Canada is projected to gain between $3.8 billion and $5.9 billion in gross domestic product by 2035, underscoring the stakes of the India Canada CEPA negotiations. ## The numbers behind the India Canada CEPA The pact aims to lower tariff and non-tariff barriers and create predictable rules for investors. Canada is seeking commercially meaningful access for its goods and services, clearer customs procedures, transparent investment protection including investor-state dispute settlement provisions, and commitments on digital trade, intellectual property and government procurement. India wants expanded access for its services exporters and professionals, alongside arrangements that make the temporary movement of business people easier. Momentum has been building for months. Maninder Sidhu led a 300-delegate, 150-organisation Team Canada Trade Mission to Mumbai and Bengaluru, described as the largest Canadian trade delegation to India in 30 years. The mission closed with more than 30 commercial partnerships valued at close to $300 million Canadian, spanning aerospace, energy, clean technology and automobiles. Addressing a business reception in Bengaluru, Sidhu highlighted artificial intelligence, quantum computing, aviation infrastructure, digital innovation, sustainability and smart mobility as areas where companies from the two countries could collaborate. ## What the India Canada CEPA would change for India Canada trade Beyond tariff schedules, the agreement is designed to strengthen resilient supply chains and support two-way economic growth. Earlier this week, at the inaugural India-Canada Economic and Financial Dialogue in Toronto, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Canada's Minister of Finance and National Revenue Francois-Philippe Champagne agreed to initiate talks on a bilateral investment treaty and to explore broadening the use of UPI in Canada, a move aimed at faster and cheaper cross-border payments. The dialogue built on the commitment made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney during their meeting in New Delhi in March 2026 to deepen India Canada trade and financial cooperation. For Maninder Sidhu, who has championed the commercial reset, the India Canada CEPA is the centrepiece of a broader effort to rebuild bilateral trade ties after years of strain. ## New Delhi round set for November The November round in New Delhi will be the decisive test of the end-2026 timetable. With the Ottawa round having cleared technical ground on market access, rules of origin and remedies, negotiators must now bridge the remaining gaps on investment protection and services commitments. Business groups on both sides are watching closely: a concluded India Canada CEPA would give exporters, investors and professionals a stable framework for India Canada trade that has been missing for years. If the deadline holds, the India Canada CEPA could become the centrepiece of the anticipated Modi-Carney summit later this year, and a durable foundation for bilateral trade growth.