TORONTO: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Tuesday (Sept 22) that trade negotiations with India are making "good progress” and that the two countries are aiming to conclude talks by the G20 summit in mid-December.
Carney also said India had, to his understanding, confirmed that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi would visit Canada around that time, though the precise date had not been finalised.
"We are making good progress in our trade negotiations with India,” Carney said at a news conference on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
Carney said he and Modi had committed to try to conclude negotiations by the G20. The summit is scheduled for Dec. 14-15 at Trump National Doral in Miami.
Carney wants to double Canada’s non-US trade over the next decade and has made India part of a broader effort to reduce the country’s dependence on the United States as relations deteriorate under President Donald Trump.
Last week, Carney embraced the prospect of Canada becoming the European Union’s first associate member, saying deeper ties with Europe would help ensure no country could control Canada’s markets or undermine its sovereignty.
Carney also struck a deal with China earlier this year allowing a limited number of Chinese electric vehicles into Canada at a sharply reduced tariff in exchange for China lowering tariffs on Canadian canola.
Canada and India formally launched negotiations on a comprehensive trade agreement in March, with both governments committing to conclude talks by the end of 2026.
The rapid economic rapprochement follows a deep diplomatic rupture over the 2023 killing of Canadian Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia. Former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said there were credible allegations linking agents of the Indian government to Nijjar’s killing.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police later said it had evidence allegedly linking Indian government agents to homicides and other violent acts in Canada. Trudeau said Indian diplomats had collected information about Canadians that was passed to organised crime and resulted in violence.
Canada expelled six Indian diplomats amid the allegations. India denied involvement and accused Canada of harboring Sikh separatists.
Carney has moved quickly to rebuild ties. His visit to India earlier this year was the first bilateral visit by a Canadian prime minister since 2018. - AP
