The announcement came after a series of meetings between Indian and Canadian business leaders, as well as bilateral talks between Goyal and Canada’s Minister of International Trade, Maninder Sidhu.
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In a joint statement issued on Friday, the two sides said they had launched the Canada-India Trade and Investment Forum to serve as a dedicated platform for businesses from both countries to build commercial partnerships and expand economic engagement.
“The Ministers launched the Canada-India Trade and Investment Forum as a key platform that brings together Canadian and Indian business leaders and fosters new commercial partnerships and increased business engagement,” the statement said.
India and Canada also reaffirmed their commitment to advancing negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), with both sides targeting the conclusion of talks by the end of 2026.
Also Read: Piyush Goyal engages with over 50 industry leaders in New York to deepen India-US tradeAccording to the statement, the proposed trade pact is expected to improve market access, strengthen resilient supply chains, and support two-way economic growth.
During the visit, Canada welcomed what was described as the largest Indian business delegation ever sent abroad. The two ministers discussed expanding cooperation in sectors including clean energy, critical minerals, agri-food, advanced manufacturing, digital technologies, and skills development.
The joint statement also stressed the importance of improving connectivity between the two countries through stronger people-to-people ties, business mobility, and direct commercial linkages to support trade and investment growth.
“The Ministers also emphasized the importance of enhancing connectivity between India and Canada — including people-to-people ties, business mobility, and direct commercial linkages — as essential enablers of expanded trade and investment,” the statement said.
Sidhu also confirmed that Canada will lead a Team Canada Trade Mission to India later this year, signalling growing interest among Canadian companies in expanding operations and partnerships in the Indian market.
Both countries further agreed to encourage long-term investment across priority sectors and deepen collaboration between businesses, innovators, and institutional partners. The ministers committed to maintaining regular engagement and pursuing concrete economic outcomes in the months ahead.