Canada India Trade Talks Advance at Regina Conference

Canadian and Indian diplomats discussed progress toward a free trade agreement at a conference held in Regina on Friday. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe joined Chris Cooter, High Commissioner for Canada in India, and Dinesh Patnaik, High Commissioner of India to Canada, for a panel at the Western Canada-India Leaders Summit.

The event was organized by the Canada-India Business Council. Moe said the panel highlighted an improving relationship between the two countries. He noted ongoing talks aimed at tripling bilateral trade to $70 billion by 2030.

India have held talks on a free trade agreement since 2010. Discussions were suspended in 2023 after Canadian authorities accused India of involvement in the killing of a Sikh activist in Surrey. Moe credited Prime Minister Mark Carney with restarting the relationship, including a visit to Mumbai and New Delhi earlier this year.

Moe also participated in that trip. Cooter and Patnaik stated that negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement continue. Cooter said he expects a deal could be reached later this year.

Moe was asked whether pulse crops must be included in any agreement. He said their absence would not block a deal. India placed a 30 per cent tariff on imported yellow peas and a 10 per cent duty on lentils last year, reducing Canadian exports. As relations have improved, India has signed commercial and research agreements with Saskatchewan entities.

Those include a $2.6 billion uranium contract with Cameco and plans for a Canada-India Pulse Protein Centre of Excellence involving the University of Saskatchewan and the National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management.