New Delhi: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has agreed to visit India in early 2026 after accepting an invitation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Canadian Prime Minister’s Office confirmed on Sunday.
The announcement comes after the return of high commissioners in August 2025, a key step in repairing diplomatic ties. Both prime ministers also agreed to increase diplomatic staffing to meet rising consular needs and to facilitate stronger people-to-people engagement. They further discussed expanding cooperation through reciprocal knowledge-sharing initiatives.
Carney expressed satisfaction with the progress made in the law enforcement dialogue between the two nations. India and Canada also confirmed plans to launch negotiations for a high-ambition Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), following talks held on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders’ Summit. The proposed pact aims to boost bilateral trade to USD 50 billion by 2030.
After their meeting, PM Modi said the leaders acknowledged the renewed momentum in India–Canada relations and committed to strengthening cooperation across sectors. In a post on X, Modi described the interaction as “very productive,” highlighting shared goals in trade, investment, technology, energy and education. He added that Canadian pension funds have shown growing interest in Indian markets and that both sides intend to explore deeper collaboration in defence and space.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, both countries reaffirmed their civil nuclear partnership and discussed long-term uranium supply arrangements. Carney, during a press briefing, described India as a trustworthy trading partner and said a CEPA would provide stability and clear rules for businesses. He noted Canada’s desire to diversify clean energy and technology supply chains, pointing to India and South Korea as major alternatives to China.
Sunday’s meeting marked the first bilateral between Modi and Carney since their encounter at the G7 Summit in Kananaskis in June, which helped stabilise relations after the diplomatic rift under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Ties had deteriorated following Trudeau’s 2023 statement in Parliament alleging “credible links” between Indian agents and the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar—accusations New Delhi dismissed as baseless.
Since taking office in March, Carney has moved to restore relations. India, Canada, and Australia also unveiled the Australia-Canada-India Technology and Innovation (ACITI) Partnership on Saturday to enhance cooperation in emerging technologies, AI, clean energy, and supply chain diversification.
Carney later wrote that both countries would work more closely on critical minerals, clean energy, and artificial intelligence to unlock new research and economic opportunities.
