New Delhi, May 23 (IANS) Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will visit Canada from May ​25-27 with a delegation ‌of nearly 150 industry leaders to boost bilateral economic and ⁠trade ties, it was announced on Saturday.

India and Canada aim to ⁠reach $50 billion in bilateral trade over the next ⁠five years.

In a news briefing, Goyal said India expects to sign a free ​trade agreement (FTA) with ‌Canada, covering sectors such as energy and critical minerals. The discussion would also focus on cooperation in technology, food processing, clean energy and critical minerals.

According to the minister, Canadian pension funds and companies have invested nearly $100 billion in India.

Nearly 600 Canadian companies ‌operate in India, with both sides aiming to ​raise that number to 1,000, he informed. Both countries have ‌renewed discussions on a broader trade deal and maintain strong ties in ​agriculture, energy, education and technology.

Goyal is leading a delegation of Indian business leaders with engagements in Ottawa on May 25 and a two-day programme in Toronto from May 26 to 27.

The visit carries forward the mandate given by the Prime Ministers of India and Canada during Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to India in March 2026, and seeks to impart renewed momentum to bilateral engagement across trade, investment, energy, technology, and people-to-people ties.

A central focus of the visit is the advancement of India–Canada Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) negotiations.

The Terms of Reference were signed during Prime Minister Carney’s visit to India in March 2026.

The first round of negotiations was conducted virtually in March and the second round concluded on May 8.

During this visit, a further round of negotiations will be conducted in Ottawa from May 25 to 29. Both sides are working towards an early conclusion of a balanced and mutually beneficial CEPA by end of 2026, with a shared ambition to expand bilateral trade to Canadian dollar 70 billion (approximately Rs 4.65 lakh crore) by 2030.

Bilateral trade stands at $8.5 billion in FY25, with significant potential for expansion across sectors.

–IANS

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