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India and Canada began the fourth round of negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement in New Delhi on 14 September 2026, a five-day round running to 18 September.
The round covered trade in goods and services, rules of origin, intellectual property, sanitary and phytosanitary measures and technical barriers to trade.
Negotiations on two chapters have already been concluded, with talks continuing on the rest; both sides aim to close the agreement by the end of 2026.
India-Canada merchandise trade was about US$7.95 billion in FY 2025-26, down from US$8.66 billion the previous year, with India running a surplus.
The two countries have set a target of US$50 billion in bilateral trade by 2030.
| Area | What India seeks | What Canada seeks |
|---|---|---|
| Goods | Tariff cuts for pharmaceuticals, textiles, engineering goods, chemicals | Market access for pulses, energy and agricultural products |
| Services | Easier movement of professionals and business persons; IT and professional services | Education services, where it already exports C$15.6 billion to India |
| Resources | Critical minerals and energy supplies | Investment openings in a large, growing market |
| Regulatory | Faster SPS and TBT clearance for food and pharma | Intellectual property protection and predictability for investors |
India and Canada hold their inaugural Economic and Financial Dialogue in Toronto.
Foreign Office Consultations between the two countries reaffirm the target of concluding the CEPA by the end of 2026.
The fourth round of CEPA negotiations is held in New Delhi, covering goods, services, rules of origin, IP, SPS and TBT.
Target date both sides have set for concluding the agreement.
Target year for bilateral trade of US$50 billion.
GS Paper 2 > Bilateral agreements involving India; GS Paper 3 > Effects of liberalisation, trade agreements and external sector
General Awareness > India's trade agreements, bilateral trade data and external sector
'Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA)' is sometimes seen in the news in the context of negotiations held between India and
Answer: European Union
Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement - a trade pact covering goods, services, investment and regulatory issues, not tariffs alone.
The criteria that decide whether a good genuinely originates in a partner country and therefore qualifies for preferential tariffs.
Sanitary and phytosanitary measures deal with food safety and plant and animal health; technical barriers to trade cover standards, testing and certification.