Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney begins four day India visit focused on trade and economic ties

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived in India on Thursday for a four day visit aimed at strengthening economic cooperation and rebuilding diplomatic ties between the two countries. He was received at Mumbai’s international airport at the start of a trip taking place at the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Carney is scheduled to spend his first two days in Mumbai, India’s financial capital, where he will meet Indian and Canadian chief executives, financial sector leaders and representatives of major Canadian pension funds. The discussions are expected to centre on investment opportunities, financial collaboration and expanding bilateral trade.

On March 1, the Canadian prime minister will travel to New Delhi. A high level meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi is planned for March 2 at Hyderabad House. Officials from both sides are expected to discuss progress toward a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, which both governments hope to finalize by November. The agreement aims to increase bilateral trade to 70 billion dollars by 2030.

The visit comes after a period of diplomatic strain in 2023 and 2024 that affected relations between Ottawa and New Delhi. Carney’s trip is being viewed by observers as a significant step toward stabilizing ties and restoring regular engagement at the leadership level. A proposed 10 year uranium supply agreement is also expected to be discussed during the visit.

While trade and investment remain the central focus of the trip, no visit to Punjab has been scheduled. Canada is home to a large Indian diaspora, including a significant Punjabi community, and developments in India Canada relations are closely followed in provinces such as British Columbia and Alberta, where economic and community ties remain strong.