External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held talks with Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand in New Delhi on 14 October, reviewing measures to strengthen the bilateral strategic partnership. The discussions covered trade, investment, education, energy, defence and people-to-people ties, besides regional and global developments including the conflict in the Middle East and the war between Russia and Ukraine.

The meeting was also aimed at preparing the ground for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Canada in December. Anand conveyed Canada’s view of India as a valuable partner amid geopolitical uncertainty and also called on Modi during her visit.

The ministers assessed progress under the renewed India-Canada strategic partnership and discussed maintaining momentum in high-level engagement. They welcomed progress towards an early conclusion of negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which is intended to expand commercial ties and deliver benefits for businesses and people in both countries.

Canada said the ministers reviewed progress since the launch of a joint roadmap during Anand’s first visit to India a year ago. Priorities include trade, energy, people-to-people exchanges, security and defence cooperation. They also welcomed a recent bilateral security dialogue at National Security Advisor level, where senior officials examined security and law enforcement cooperation and agreed to sustained engagement.

The Canadian side highlighted a Team Canada trade mission led by International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu as an example of expanding economic cooperation. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the latest CEPA discussions followed a fifth round of negotiations in Ottawa and noted that both sides remained engaged on concluding an agreement that would serve their mutual interests.