New Delhi [India], March 2 (ANI): Narendra Modi on Monday held bilateral talks with his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney at Hyderabad House in the national capital, focusing on strengthening cooperation and advancing the India-Canada Strategic Partnership.
During the discussions, the two leaders reviewed progress achieved across diverse sectors of the strategic partnership and explored ways to further deepen collaboration in key areas of mutual interest.
Prime Minister Carney, who arrived in India on February 27 at the invitation of Prime Minister Modi, is on his first official visit to the country. His tour began in Mumbai before proceeding to New Delhi, from where he will depart later today following his official engagements.
Earlier in the day, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar called on the Canadian Prime Minister and appreciated his commitment to building a forward-looking partnership between the two nations.
In a post on X, Jaishankar said he was “delighted” to meet Prime Minister Carney during his visit to the national capital. “Delighted to call on Prime Minister Mark J Carney of Canada in New Delhi this morning. Appreciate his commitment towards charting a forward-looking partnership,” the External Affairs Minister said.
Prime Minister Carney landed in New Delhi on Sunday evening after concluding a productive visit to Mumbai. Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry and for Electronics and Information Technology, Jitin Prasada, received the visiting leader at the airport.
Building on their earlier meetings in Kananaskis in June 2025 and Johannesburg in November 2025 — on the sidelines of the G7 and G20 summits respectively — the two Prime Ministers took stock of ongoing cooperation in key pillars, including trade and investment, energy, critical minerals, agriculture, education, research and innovation, and people-to-people ties.
According to a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs, the leaders also exchanged views on regional and global developments.
In a major announcement during the joint press statement, Prime Minister Modi said that India and Canada have set a target of reaching USD 50 billion in bilateral trade by 2030. He added that both sides have decided to finalise a comprehensive economic partnership agreement in the near future to unlock the full potential of economic cooperation.
“Today, we discussed transforming this vision into a next-level partnership. Our goal is to reach $50 billion in trade by 2030. Unlocking the full potential of economic cooperation is our priority. Therefore, we have decided to finalise a comprehensive economic partnership agreement soon,” Prime Minister Modi said.
He underlined that the proposed agreement would open up new investment and employment opportunities in both countries.
Highlighting the depth of financial engagement, Prime Minister Modi noted that Canadian pension funds have invested USD 100 billion in India, describing it as a symbol of deep faith in India’s growth story.
Later in the day, the two leaders are scheduled to attend the India-Canada CEOs Forum, where they will interact with members of the business community. Prime Minister Modi said their suggestions would help lay out a roadmap for enhanced economic cooperation.
Describing Prime Minister Carney’s visit as an important milestone, Modi recalled their warm meeting during the G7 summit last year and praised Carney’s leadership experience in global financial institutions.
“Since our first meeting, our ties have garnered new energy, trust, and positivity. I credit my friend Prime Minister Carney for the growing momentum in every area of cooperation. India and Canada share strong faith in democratic values. We celebrate diversity. The well-being of humanity is our shared vision. This vision inspires us to move forward in every area,” Modi said.
The two countries also exchanged several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) in the presence of both Prime Ministers.
This visit comes at an important juncture in the normalisation of India-Canada bilateral relations, with discussions focusing on key strategic and economic priorities and setting the tone for a stronger and more comprehensive partnership in the years ahead. (ANI)
644 words, 3 minutes read time.
About The Author
