New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney spoke over the phone Tuesday evening, and underlined the importance of “concrete outcomes” in bilateral relationship, especially in areas such as trade and energy, as the two countries look to deepen ties amidst geopolitical uncertainties.
“We agreed to build on the positive momentum in India-Canada ties and work towards concrete outcomes across key areas of our Strategic Partnership, including trade, energy, technology, security and people-to-people ties. Together, India and Canada are contributing towards a more stable and prosperous world,” Modi said in a statement following a call between the two leaders.
The call between the two leaders occurred the same day in which two senior Canadian ministers—Minister of International Trade Maninder Sidhu and Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand—arrived in India for discussions with their respective counterparts.
The Canadian readout highlighted that the two leaders “reaffirmed their commitment to conclude negotiations” for a free trade agreement (Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement) “at the earliest opportunity”.
“They welcomed the historic Team Canada Trade Mission currently taking place in India, led by the Minister of International Trade, Maninder Sidhu, as well as a visit to New Delhi this week by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Anita Anand, to advance shared priorities, including trade, energy, and people-to-people ties,” the readout added.
Sidhu is leading a 300-member delegation to India and met with Piyush Goyal, the Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Tuesday. The delegation follows the one Goyal led to Canada earlier this year. Goyal and Sidhu have met nine times since May 2025, underlining the intensity with which the two governments have been focusing on deepening the trade relationship.
The Canadian readout confirmed that Modi will visit the country in December, and that the two “leaders agreed to remain in close contact” with one another ahead of the visit. Anand, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, was received late Tuesday evening at the New Delhi airport.
A warm welcome to Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada @AnitaAnandMP on her visit to India.
This is the third visit to India by Minister Anand since June 2025, reflecting the sustained high-level engagement and positive momentum in India-Canada relations.
The visit will… pic.twitter.com/jth2XwVqpv
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) October 13, 2026
“This is the third visit to India by Minister Anand since June 2025, reflecting the sustained high-level engagement and positive momentum in India-Canada relations. The visit will provide an opportunity for both sides to build on the recent progress and further advance our bilateral partnership,” Randhir Jaiswal, official spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement Tuesday evening.
The intense back and forth in visits and meetings of senior ministers come as Canada continues to push its strategy of working with “middle powers” to combat the uncertainty prevailing globally.
Canada is in the midst of a trade war with the US, as the two countries were unable to find a common understanding on trade earlier this year. The US market accounted for over 70 percent of Canadian exports in 2024, highlighting the dependence of Canadian businesses on the American market.
Carney, elected to power in April 2025, has since spent the better part of the last 18 months charting out a course of action to protect Canadian interests by diversifying its trade basket. Ties between India and Canada were swiftly reset, following the diplomatic chill that had existed between September 2023 and June 2025.
Major irritant in ties, especially Canadian accusations of Indian links to the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar—designated as terrorist by India—and New Delhi’s concerns of Sikh extremism given space by Ottawa was bifurcated from the larger political and economic relationship, to a law enforcement dialogue between the two governments.
Ajit Doval, India’s National Security Adviser, hosted Canadian official David Morrison last week for a bilateral security dialogue, indicating how New Delhi and Ottawa are managing the challenges in ties.
“The prime ministers welcomed the bilateral security dialogue that took place in India last week as part of ongoing security and law enforcement engagement at the National Security Advisor level,” the Canadian readout of the Modi-Carney call said.
The two sides are expected to conclude negotiations for the CEPA by the time Modi arrives in Canada, which showcases the speed with which both countries have moved to deepen the economic partnership. Carney has sought to engage more extensively with the European Union (EU) as well, as Ottawa continues to grapple with the impact of the ongoing feud with the US.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)