Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will pay a three-day visit to India beginning this week, Ottawa said in an official announcement. Carney will spend two days in Mumbai before arriving in New Delhi on March 2 for a bilateral meeting with PM Narendra Modi that is expected to further cement the relationship that was rocked by the killing of a Sikh separatist in 2023.Energy, trade, defence and technology, apart from security, are issues that will likely dominate the agenda for what will be Carney’s first visit to India as Prime Minister. The leaders will review efforts to reach a framework for a comprehensive economic partnership agreement.India and Canada are looking to start fresh negotiations for a trade pact that will help enable $50 billion annual trade by 2050. A 10-year agreement for uranium procurement by India from Canada is likely to be signed during the visit.Canada said that the leaders will focus on elevating and expanding the Canada-India relationship, with ambitious new partnerships in trade, energy, technology and 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.“In a more divided and uncertain world, Canada’s new govt 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,” said Carney’s office in a statement, announcing his visit to India, Australia and Japan.“To these ends, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, announced that he will travel to India, Australia, and Japan, from Feb 26 to March 7, 2026, to unlock new opportunities for Canadian workers and businesses across trade, energy, technology, and defence. Through these visits to three of Canada’s strongest Indo-Pacific partners, the Prime Minister will deepen regional ties that are critical to our security and prosperity,” it added.
