Evian (France), June 16 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday signalled that he may visit Canada this year and hoped that the long-pending Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between both countries will be signed before his visit.

PM Modi made the comment during a meeting with Canadian counterpart Mark Carney on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Evian, France.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. We met for the first time at the G7. And today, we’re meeting after a year. And as you said, we’ve met four times. And we’ve been in touch over the phone. We’ve been discussing bilateral relations and international issues. And we’re making good progress as a friendly country. I’m very grateful to you for your concern for the Indian diaspora… You have always had a positive contribution towards the Indian diaspora,” PM Modi said in his remarks during a bilateral meeting with Carney.

“You’re right that we’re very excited about the Free Trade Agreement. And, as you’ve invited me to come to Canada, I’m also trying to come this year. And, before I come, let’s complete this agreement. We want to make a lot of progress in technology. In energy security, Canada can be a very big partner. So these are all the areas that will be discussed a lot today. And I’m very grateful to you that I’m getting a chance to meet all of you,” added PM Modi.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), both leaders reviewed the “excellent progress” made in bilateral engagement and discussed ways to build a stronger partnership driven by trade, energy, innovation, education and people-to-people exchanges.

Carney said that both countries continue to make “very good progress” on concluding the FTA.

“Four continents, four meetings, one year. And right from the start, at the G7 in Kananaskis in Canada, and thank you for honouring us with that visit. Right from the start, you’ve set a high bar for the relationship and what we can do together. I’m very pleased and very honoured by your reception of me a few months ago. Of course, I’d be honoured to reciprocate a visit to Canada. We are making very good progress,” Carney said as he met Prime Minister Modi.

India and Canada have signalled a rapid reset in bilateral ties, with leaders from both countries expressing optimism about concluding the FTA soon.

“His Excellency likes a deadline. I like one as well. And our deadline is to complete by the G20. Our teams are aware of that and what we’re discovering in the negotiations, but also with the exchanges of our universities, cultural exchanges of our businesses, including the largest trade delegation from India, and a big reciprocal one coming from Canada to India, is that there’s so much more to do together. And it’s just one objective, which you’ve set, is to double our trade by the end of this decade. We think we can do more and with this partnership,” he added.

Last month, Carney had said that negotiations on the FTA with India would be a “game changer” for Canadian workers and businesses.

“We’re negotiating a free trade deal with India. This will be a game changer for Canadian workers and businesses — unlocking a massive new market,” Carney wrote on social media after meeting Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal in Ottawa.

Carney said both sides reviewed progress in negotiations and explored opportunities in “energy, agri-food, tech, and education”.

–IANS

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