Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will depart for Mumbai at 10:00 am Ottawa time (8:30 pm IST) on February 26 for an official visit to India running until March 7, his first visit to the country as prime minister and a bid to reset ties after a period of strain. He will begin in Mumbai meeting business leaders to explore deeper economic cooperation and then travel to New Delhi for high-level talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 2. The visit aims to revive diplomatic engagement and expand trade and strategic links between the two countries.
Discussions during the trip are expected to focus on collaboration in clean energy, artificial intelligence, defence and advanced technology. A central objective is to accelerate negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) designed to boost bilateral trade and investment. Officials have stressed India’s rising economic influence and its importance as a strategic partner for Canada.
Bilateral trade reached $30.8 billion in 2024, making India Canada’s seventh-largest trading partner, and both governments have said they hope to raise that figure to $50 billion by 2030. Carney’s meetings with business leaders and policymakers will be watched closely for signals on timelines and practical steps to deepen market access and investment flows under a potential CEPA.
Ahead of the trip, the Canadian government said it no longer believes India is linked to violent crimes in Canada. Officials acknowledged past investigations looked at possible foreign interference and criminal links but said current assessments do not connect the Indian government to ongoing violent activity. The clarification, disclosed at a briefing cited by the Toronto Star, was framed as part of an effort by Ottawa to stabilise relations and re-engage through diplomacy and economic cooperation. “We have a very robust diplomatic engagement, including between national security advisers, and I think we can say we’re confident that that activity is not continuing,” a senior official who asked not to be named said on Wednesday.
Original Source: https://www.firstpost.com/india/canada-tones-down-terror-accusations-before-carneys-visit-says-it-no-longer-links-violent-crimes-with-india-13983790.html
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Publish Date: 2026-02-26 07:32:00
