Canadian PM Carney's India Visit Aims to Boost Trade, Tech & Defence Ties

The focus during his visit will be on businesses across trade, energy, technology, and defence, the Canadian government statement said

"Prime Minister Carney will first visit Mumbai, then New Delhi, India, where he will meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The leaders will focus on elevating and expanding the Canada-India relationship, with ambitious new partnerships in trade, energy, technology and artificial intelligence (AI), talent and culture, and defence. He will meet with business leaders to identify investment opportunities in Canada and create new partnerships between businesses in both nations," the statement read.

This will be Carney's first visit to India after he assumed office after Justin Trudeau.

"In a more divided and uncertain world, Canada's new government is focused on what we can control. We are building a stronger, more independent, and more resilient economy. We are building our strength at home, diversifying our trade abroad, and attracting massive new international investment. To these ends, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, announced that he will travel to India, Australia, and Japan, from February 26 to March 7, 2026, to unlock new opportunities for Canadian workers and businesses across trade, energy, technology, and defence," Carney's office said in a statement.

Through these visits to three of Canada's strongest Indo-Pacific partners, Carney will deepen regional ties that are critical to our security and prosperity.

India was Canada's seventh largest goods and services trading partner in 2024, wherein the two way trade between the two countries was nearly $31 billion, as per the Canadian government.

During the 2025 G20 Leader's Summit, New Delhi and Ottawa agreed to formally launch negotiations for an ambitious Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which aims to double the two-way trade between the two nations to $70 billion by 2030.

Carney will then travel to Sydney and Canberra, Australia, to meet with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and deepen cooperation on defence and maritime security, critical minerals, trade, and advanced technologies, including AI. He will deliver an address to both Houses of Australia's Parliament and invited dignitaries - marking the first such address by a Canadian Prime Minister in nearly 20 years. Prime Minister Carney will also meet with business leaders and investors to attract new capital into Canada and support two-way trade and investment with Australia.

In Tokyo, Japan, Carney will meet with Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae to strengthen mutual investment and partnerships in clean energy, advanced manufacturing, critical minerals, and food security. The leaders will also discuss strengthening joint efforts on security and defence, including to support a free and open Indo-Pacific, the statement said.

Canada has what the world wants - abundant energy, critical minerals, expertise in technology, and world-class talent. In a changing world, we are investing in our strength, diversifying our trade, and cultivating a dense web of new connections throughout the world to build Canada strong.

"In a more uncertain world, Canada is focused on what we can control. We are diversifying our trade and attracting massive new investment to create new opportunities for our workers and businesses. We are forging new partnerships abroad to create greater certainty, security and prosperity at home," the statement quoted Carney as saying.

India is the world's fastest-growing major economy and a powerhouse in global commerce and technology. In 2024, India was Canada's seventh-largest goods and services trading partner, with two-way trade coming to $30.8 billion.

At last year's G20 Leaders' Summit, Canada and India agreed to formally launch negotiations for an ambitious Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement that will support Canada's goal to more than double two-way trade to $70 billion by 2030.

- ANI