Piyush Goyal's Upcoming Canada Visit: A Step Towards Strengthening India-Canada Trade Relations

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal is preparing for a significant visit to Canada in May, coinciding with ongoing negotiations for a free trade agreement. His discussions with Canadian officials aim to expedite the India-Canada CEPA talks, while also exploring collaboration in high-tech sectors and clean energy. Goyal's engagements extend to discussions with the UK and EU regarding trade agreements, highlighting India's proactive approach to enhancing international trade relations. This visit is expected to strengthen economic ties and foster business opportunities between India and Canada.

By Narendra Chaudhary Mar 29, 2026, 23:12 IST

Piyush Goyal's Visit to Canada

New Delhi: Piyush Goyal, the Minister of Commerce and Industry, is set to travel to Canada in May as discussions for a free trade agreement between India and Canada progress.

On March 2, the two nations initiated talks for a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA).

The topic of Goyal's visit arose during his discussions with Maninder Sidhu, Canada's Minister of International Trade, at the 14th ministerial conference of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) held in Yaounde, Cameroon.

The bilateral talks aimed at accelerating the CEPA negotiations, with Sidhu warmly inviting Goyal to lead a significant Indian business delegation to Canada in May 2026, according to a statement from the commerce ministry.

India has also expressed support for Canada's initiative to send a business delegation to India, focusing on high-tech industries such as aerospace, defense, and space.

Both ministers emphasized the significance of transitioning to clean energy and agreed to explore collaboration in nuclear energy, agriculture, and critical minerals.

In a separate meeting with Peter J Kyle, the UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Goyal discussed the implementation of the comprehensive economic and trade agreement (CETA) signed on July 24, 2025.

India has finalized all internal approvals for the India-UK agreement, and Kyle confirmed that the UK has also received parliamentary approval.

Both parties are eager for the CETA to come into effect as per the established timelines, with Goyal stressing the need for outreach initiatives to ensure that the benefits of CETA reach businesses throughout India.

Additionally, Goyal met with EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic to review the progress on the recently concluded India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

They agreed on the necessity of completing the required processes to facilitate the signing of the India-EU FTA as soon as possible.

Goyal also engaged in discussions with Todd Michael McClay, New Zealand's Minister for Trade and Investment, during the WTO MC14.

They briefly went over the preparations for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming visit to New Zealand, with New Zealand expressing enthusiasm and confirming that a comprehensive list of deliverables is being finalized.