Anita Anand, Canada's Foreign Minister, has traveled to India to strengthen bilateral relations and economic cooperation. This visit is part of a two-country tour that also includes the United Arab Emirates and takes place from October 13 to 16.
Bilaterals
During this visit, Anita Anand will meet with S. Jaishankar, India's External Affairs Minister. The discussions will focus on enhancing bilateral cooperation in trade, energy, security, and defense. This meeting comes as negotiations for a comprehensive trade agreement between the two countries are underway.
Read more: New attacks on Riyadh airport; one dead and nearly twelve injured
According to published information, this marks the eleventh meeting between the two ministers since September 2025, reflecting high-level interactions and growing bilateral relations. India and Canada are looking to expand economic cooperation and advance negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). Both sides aim to conclude negotiations by the end of 2026.
Economic Relationship Development
Earlier this month, the two countries began the fifth round of CEPA negotiations in Ottawa, where energy, critical minerals, and aerospace cooperation have been identified as key areas for expanding economic relations. Mary Ng, Canada's Minister of International Trade, is also part of this delegation to advance discussions on the CEPA agreement.
Canada has also set an ambitious goal of doubling bilateral trade with India to $70 billion by 2030. This comes as bilateral trade reached $30.4 billion in 2025. In this context, Canada's trade mission will focus on connecting Canadian expertise to the growing needs of the Indian market.
During her stay in New Delhi, Anita Anand will also participate in the Bloomberg New Economy Forum and discuss middle powers and the changing global order. She will emphasize the importance of multilateral and pluralistic cooperation in uncertain geopolitical conditions and present Canada as a reliable partner for India and the Indo-Pacific region.
After her visit to India, Anita Anand will travel to the United Arab Emirates, where she will meet with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the UAE, and other senior officials. These discussions will focus on strengthening bilateral relations, expanding trade partnerships, and enhancing cooperation in defense, security, artificial intelligence, and innovation.
Read more: Abu Dhabi emphasizes the need to strengthen security cooperation among Gulf countries
