Canadian Trade Minister Heads to India for Pivotal Economic Talks

Canadian Minister of International Trade, Maninder Sidhu, will visit Mumbai on September 18-19 to bolster Canada-India trade relations through the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). Following his visit, he will attend ASEAN consultations in Manila to advance the ASEAN-Canada and Canada-Philippines trade agreements.

In a significant move to enhance Canada's economic footprint in Asia, Canadian Minister of International Trade, Maninder Sidhu, is set to visit Mumbai from September 18-19. Sidhu aims to fortify trade and investment ties with India by advancing the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), according to an official release from the Canadian government. His itinerary includes key bilateral engagements with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, along with other government and business leaders.

During his Mumbai visit, the Canadian minister will engage in discussions to foster bilateral trade and push forward negotiations on a potential economic partnership agreement. Sidhu is also expected to pursue business outreach initiatives to champion Canada's trade objectives within the region.

Following his stay in India, Minister Sidhu will head to Manila, Philippines, to participate in the 15th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Economic Ministers-Canada Consultation from September 21-22. These meetings will focus on advancing the ASEAN-Canada free trade agreement negotiations and include discussions with Filipino partners on a Canada-Philippines trade agreement. Sidhu expressed both enthusiasm and optimism for these meetings, citing the fast-growing economies of India, ASEAN, and the Philippines as crucial to Canada's trade expansion strategy.

Reflecting broader efforts, Sidhu aims to double Canada's export reach beyond the United States, seeking to achieve USD 70 billion in two-way trade with India annually by 2030. Canada has already completed three rounds of CEPA negotiations with India, setting the stage for a fourth round this week. Meanwhile, the Philippines stands as Canada's sixth-largest merchandise export destination in ASEAN, highlighting the region's growing importance in Canada's trade partnerships.

Earlier interactions between Indian and Canadian leaders have set the groundwork for these discussions. Recently, Indian Minister Piyush Goyal's visit to Canada laid the foundation for ongoing CEPA negotiations, expressing mutual excitement to deepen economic ties. Minister Sidhu looks to match this momentum by leading a Team Canada trade mission to India later in the year.