As India and Canada aim to close in on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) by this year-end, the office of Canadian Minister of International Trade told The Indian Express that besides enhancing transparency and predictability in trade relations, the agreement “is intended to provide” preferential market access for Canadian goods and services in the world’s fifth largest economy.Negotiators from India and Canada were engaged in the third round of CEPA talks this week in Ottawa between July 6 and 10.The agreement will also support more resilient supply chains, and broader global stability, says the office of Canadian Minister of International Trade, Maninder Sidhu, in response to email queries by The Indian Express on the CEPA talks — seen as the first concrete outcome of rebuilding of ties between the two sides.While India offers market scale and long-term demand, Canada brings capital and technology. Asked if he thinks that the CEPA will be a force multiplier, his office said that in negotiating the agreement with India, our objective is to create opportunities and benefits for Canadian businesses, workers and families by reducing trade barriers, and creating rules that will enhance predictability for traders.“The agreement is intended to provide new preferential market access for Canadian goods and services in the world’s fifth largest economy. It will also enhance transparency and predictability in trade relations and strengthen access to Indian supply chains,” the office said.Sidhu is set to lead a business delegation from the country to India in October this year.With Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney inviting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit the country this year, Sidhu’s office says, “Canada’s engagements with India continue to see positive momentum as we have taken important steps to rebuild trust and establish more structured economic dialogue.”Story continues below this adLast month, PM Modi and PM Carney met on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France.Relations plummeted in 2023 over then PM Justin Trudeau’s allegation of “potential” involvement of Indian government agents in the killing of Canada-based Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar — a charge that India rejected as “absurd” and “motivated”.The first step in the restoration of bilateral relations began after Modi and Carney met at the G7 leaders’ Summit in Kananaskis in June 2025.Sidhu — who was born in Punjab and moved to Brampton in his childhood along with his parents — now represents the Brampton East constituency.Story continues below this adIndia and Canada have spent 15 years trying to translate economic complementarity into a formal trade arrangement. Asked if he thinks that this time both sides are trying to work out a practical agreement as a culmination of all those years of effort, Sidhu’s office said, “Canada’s engagements with India continue to see positive momentum as we have taken important stepsto rebuild trust and establish more structured economic dialogue.”Canada is pleased with progress made during the 2nd round of the CEPA negotiations, which took place in New Delhi on May 4-8, and with the inter-sessional meetings on the margins of Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal’s visit to Ottawa and Toronto in May, the office said.Amid the geopolitical turmoil over US tariffs and the repercussions on energy supplies arising out of the West Asia conflict, the two sides now aim to collaborate on key sectors. On this, Sidhu’s office said, “Opportunities between Canada and India remain strong, including in energy, critical minerals, agri‑food, digital and clean technologies, education, and services, providing a solid basis for deeper economic cooperation.”“These areas draw on complementary strengths and can support more resilient supply chains, sustainable growth, and broader global stability, as underscored in the joint statement,” the office said.Divya A reports on travel, tourism, culture and social issues - not necessarily in that order - for The Indian Express. She's been a journalist for over a decade now, working with Khaleej Times and The Times of India, before settling down at Express. Besides writing/ editing news reports, she indulges her pen to write short stories. As Sanskriti Prabha Dutt Fellow for Excellence in Journalism, she is researching on the lives of the children of sex workers in India. ... Read More Tags:Canada