Business News | V. Anantha Nageswaran Meets Canadian High Commissioner; Discusses Opportunities Through CEPA and Driving Sustainable Growth
Get latest articles and stories on Business at LatestLY. India's Chief Economic Adviser V. Anantha Nageswaran met with Canadian High Commissioner Christopher Cooter to discuss economic opportunities through the proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), deepening trade and investment ties, and driving sustainable growth.
New Delhi [India], July 20 (ANI): India's Chief Economic Adviser V. Anantha Nageswaran met with Canadian High Commissioner Christopher Cooter to discuss economic opportunities through the proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), deepening trade and investment ties, and driving sustainable growth.
A post on X by Canada in India highlighted the meeting on X. "Advancing a shared economic vision -- Insightful discussion between High Commissioner Cooter and India's Chief Economic Adviser, Dr. V. Anantha Nageswaran, on unlocking opportunities through CEPA, deepening trade and investment, and driving sustainable growth," the post read.
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The meeting follows the conclusion of the third round of negotiations for the India-Canada CEPA, which took place in Ottawa from July 6-10. Both nations made positive progress across various tracks and reaffirmed their commitment to conclude the agreement within the scheduled timeline.
According to a post on X by the Department of Commerce, "India and Canada concluded the third Round of negotiations for the India-Canada Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in Ottawa from 6-10 July 2026."
"The discussions witnessed positive progress across multiple negotiating tracks, reaffirming the shared commitment of both countries to conclude the negotiations in 2026, in line with the vision of the leaders," it added.
The latest round marks progress in trade engagement between the two countries. A CEPA is expected to go beyond the traditional goods-focused FTA to cover services, investment, government procurement, digital trade, and sustainable development.
Officials from both sides discussed market access for goods, rules of origin, trade in services, and cooperation in key sectors including critical minerals, clean technology, agriculture, and pharmaceuticals. Canada is a major source of potash, pulses and energy for India, while India exports pharmaceuticals, textiles, engineering goods and IT services to Canada.
The push to conclude CEPA in 2026 aligns with both governments' focus on diversifying trade partnerships amid global supply chain shifts. For India, a deal with Canada would add to its recent trade agreements with the UAE, Australia and the EFTA bloc. For Canada, India is its 10th largest trading partner and a key market in the Indo-Pacific strategy.
While details of specific chapters agreed in the third round were not disclosed, the statement indicates momentum on technical work ahead of ministerial-level engagement later this year.
Both countries have said they aim to conclude the negotiations in 2026, after which legal vetting and ratification processes will follow before the agreement comes into force.
With two-way goods trade at around CAD $10 billion in recent years, a concluded CEPA is expected to provide a formal framework to expand bilateral commerce and investment flows. (ANI)
(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)