India, Canada set fifth CEPA talks for Oct. 5, targeting year-end pact

India and Canada will begin a fifth round of Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement negotiations on Oct. 5. A year-end deal could reshape sourcing and trade flows in cotton apparel, electronics, seafood, pulses, gems and other consumer-linked categories, with bilateral trade targeted to reach $70 billion by 2030.

— Source publishedMon, 21 Sept, 2026, 16:26 IST·First seen Mon, 21 Sept, 2026, 16:33 IST·Source The Hindu BusinessLine

What happened

Government of India · India and Canada will hold a fifth CEPA negotiation round on October 5, targeting a deal by year-end. The pact could affect trade in

Key facts

  • Fifth negotiation round: October 5
  • Fourth round concluded: September 18
  • Target to conclude CEPA: end of this year
  • Bilateral trade in 2025: USD 30.4 billion
  • Bilateral trade target by 2030: USD 70 billion
  • EU pact ratification estimate: three months
  • EU pact implementation estimate: six-seven months

Why this matters

Companies should assess India-Canada partnerships, distribution assets and supplier relationships in priority categories ahead of a possible pact that could accelerate cross-border trade and market-entry economics.