Canada appears set to recalibrate its relationship with India as Prime Minister Mark Carney prepares for his first major overseas tour, placing New Delhi at the centre of Ottawa's renewed Indo-Pacific strategy. The visit, scheduled from February 26 to March 7, also includes stops in Australia and Japan, reflecting Canada's effort to diversify trade partnerships and strengthen economic cooperation in an increasingly uncertain global environment, reported NDTV.
India at the heart of Carney's tour
India will serve as the opening and most significant stop of the trip, highlighting Canada's intention to revive ties with the world's fastest-growing major economy. Carney is expected to visit Mumbai and New Delhi, where he will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss expanding bilateral cooperation.
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Talks are likely to focus on trade, energy, technology and artificial intelligence, talent mobility, culture and defence collaboration, stated the NDTV report. The Canadian leader is also scheduled to interact with Indian business leaders, promoting Canada as an investment destination across sectors such as clean energy, critical minerals, advanced manufacturing and digital technologies.
Expanding trade and economic cooperation
India currently ranks as Canada's seventh-largest trading partner, with bilateral goods and services trade valued at $30.8 billion in 2024, NDTV informed. Both countries aim to more than double this figure to $70 billion by 2030 through a proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.
Negotiations for the agreement were launched following last year's G20 Leaders’ Summit, and officials expect Carney’s visit to provide renewed political momentum. As global supply chains shift and economic competition intensifies, Ottawa increasingly views India as a key partner in building a more diversified and resilient economic future.
"India is a powerhouse economy and a central actor in the Indo-Pacific," a senior government source was quoted as saying by NDTV. "Deepening this partnership is essential for Canada's long-term prosperity and security."
Wider Indo-Pacific engagement
Following his India visit, Carney will travel to Australia for meetings with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Sydney and Canberra. Discussions will cover defence cooperation, maritime security, critical minerals, trade, and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence. He is also set to address both houses of Australia’s Parliament, becoming the first Canadian prime minister to do so in nearly two decades.
The final leg of the tour will take him to Tokyo for talks focused on clean energy, advanced manufacturing, food security, and defence ties with Japan.
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"In a more uncertain world, Canada is focused on what we can control," Carney said in a statement, as quoted by NDTV. "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."
