Ottawa: Canada will send nearly 300 business delegates to India next week on its largest trade mission to the country in over 30 years, seeking to expand commercial ties and more than double bilateral trade by 2030.
Led by Canadian Minister of International Trade Maninder Sidhu, the delegation will visit Mumbai and Bengaluru from October 12 to 17, according to an official statement Friday.
By matching Canadian expertise in sectors like aerospace, agri-food and clean technology with India’s growing demand, we will diversify our trade and attract new investment, Sidhu said.
The mission comes as India and Canada are working to conclude negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) by the end of this year. The fifth round of negotiations was held in Ottawa from October 5 to 9.
Sidhu met Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on the margins of the G20 Trade Ministers’ Meeting in Milwaukee, US October 1, where they discussed progress in the negotiations and efforts to deepen bilateral trade and investment ties.
The two countries announced the renewed push for a comprehensive trade agreement during Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to India in March, setting a target of raising two-way trade to CAD 70 billion (around Rs. 4.75 lakh crore) by 2030.
In 2025, bilateral trade in goods and services totalled CAD 30.4 billion, according to the Canadian government data.
Canada’s merchandise exports to India stood at CAD 3.9 billion in 2025, led by vegetables, mineral fuels and oils, and wood pulp. Its merchandise imports from India amounted to CAD 9.7 billion, comprising mainly precious stones and metals, machinery and pharmaceutical products.
The trade mission would help Canadian businesses connect with Indian decision-makers, industry leaders and potential customers, while building partnerships expected to generate employment in the North American country, according to Friday’s statement.
Canada is also seeking to diversify its exports beyond the United States, with India forming a key part of its strategy to expand trade with other markets, the statement said.
The Canadian Indo-Pacific Strategy, launched in 2022, identifies trade, security, sustainability, people-to-people ties and regional engagement as its five strategic objectives, it said.
