Prime Minister Mark Carney and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a “new partnership” on Monday, marking a major step forward after years of tense relations between Canada and India.
After meeting in New Delhi, Carney said the two countries plan to more than double trade to $70 billion a year by 2030. They also hope to sign a free trade deal, called a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, by the end of this year. The deal would lower high Indian tariffs on some Canadian goods.
The leaders signed five agreements worth about $5.5 billion in areas such as energy, critical minerals, technology, defence and culture. One of the biggest deals is a $2.6-billion agreement between India and Saskatchewan-based Cameco to supply uranium from 2027 to 2035.
Other agreements include new AI centres in Canada by HCL Technologies, expanded medicine production by Jubilant Pharmanova in Quebec, and a $135-million expansion in India by McCain Foods.
Relations between the two countries had worsened after former prime minister Justin Trudeau accused Indian agents of involvement in the killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Now, both leaders say they want to improve cooperation, including on security and fighting organized crime.
Carney called the new agreements the start of a strong and lasting partnership between two confident countries.
