India-Canada
India, Canada launch security pact talks, target trade deal completion in 2026
Evian/France: India and Canada agreed to launch negotiations on a security information-sharing agreement and reaffirmed their goal of concluding a comprehensive trade agreement in 2026.
The negotiation amid the meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney met on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit in France.
The leaders said bilateral ties had gained momentum since Carney's visit to India in March and pledged to deepen cooperation in trade, energy, security, technology and education.
A key outcome of the meeting was the decision to begin negotiations on a General Security of Information Agreement (GSOIA), a framework that would facilitate the sharing and protection of sensitive government information and support closer defence and security cooperation.
"In less than a year, it is our fourth meeting, indicating our commitment to strong India-Canada ties. We reviewed the full range of relations between our nations, notably the ground covered since we last met," Modi said on X.
The two leaders also reviewed progress in negotiations toward a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), a proposed trade pact that has been under discussion for several years.
"Both sides expressed satisfaction with the progress in negotiations towards a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement and reaffirmed their shared objective of concluding the negotiations in 2026," a joint statement said.
Modi and Carney discussed cooperation in energy and critical supply chains, including commercial arrangements involving liquefied natural gas (LNG), liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and metallurgical coal.
The leaders highlighted the importance of resilient supply chains in supporting global energy and food security and noted growing complementarities between the Indian and Canadian economies.
They also welcomed increased high-level engagement between the two countries, including a recent visit to Canada by Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and a planned Canadian trade mission to India later this year led by International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu.
The meeting underscored broader efforts to expand institutional cooperation. The two sides cited recent discussions on science and technology and consular affairs and announced plans for future dialogues on defence, finance and migration.
Modi expressed support for Canada's bid to become a Dialogue Partner of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), while the two leaders announced the establishment of Raisina Americas, a new platform aimed at strengthening policy dialogue and cooperation across the Americas.
The leaders also discussed collaboration under the Canada-India Talent and Innovation Strategy, which focuses on skills development, innovation partnerships and educational exchanges.
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