OTTAWA, May 26 (ANI) — Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday highlighted the growing momentum in India-Canada relations during his visit to Canada with what he described as the largest-ever Indian business delegation to travel abroad.
The visit is focused on strengthening economic ties between the two countries, with both sides aiming to triple bilateral trade to $50 billion by 2030.
Speaking at a joint press conference alongside Canada’s Minister of International Trade, Maninder Sidhu, Goyal said the India-Canada partnership is being “reset very rapidly” and credited Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to India earlier this year with laying the foundation for a major transformation in bilateral relations.
“The partnership between India and Canada is being reset very rapidly,” Goyal said. “The visit of Prime Minister Mark Carney to India earlier this year has set in motion the pathway to a complete overhaul of this relationship, setting new agendas, new goals, in mission mode.”
Describing the pace and intent shown by both countries as “phenomenal,” Goyal said the two governments are committed to expanding economic cooperation and creating new business opportunities.
“When it comes to working together for the shared prosperity of the people of India and the people of Canada, providing business opportunities for both countries, and a very ambitious target going forward, our Prime Ministers have tasked us not only with completing the free trade agreement with a comprehensive outlook before the end of this year or earlier, but tripling our trade from the current $17 billion US dollar level to a $50 billion US dollar level by 2030,” he said.
Goyal described the target as “very much doable,” citing the sincerity of purpose shown by both sides since the signing of the terms of preference agreement in March, as well as the trust between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Mark Carney.
The minister said he arrived in Canada with the largest Indian business delegation ever to travel overseas, with more than 112 Indian companies participating in the visit.
“I have come with the largest-ever business delegation that stepped out of India in our history. At last count early this morning, at about five o’clock, I was informed that 112 Indian businesses had already taken off from India,” Goyal said.
He emphasized that India and Canada are both significant economies and democracies that share a commitment to prosperity, global economic growth, peace, and security.
“This relationship will become very important in the years to come,” he added.
Goyal’s arrival in Ottawa marks the beginning of a three-day official visit from May 25 to May 27, taking place as New Delhi and Ottawa intensify negotiations on the proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), viewed as a key step toward revitalizing economic relations between the two nations. (ANI)
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