Trade diversification brings Carney to India in coming weeks

Prime Minister Mark Carney will visit India after New Delhi tables its budget on Feb. 1, officials said, as both countries seek to diversify trade amid U.S. tariffs and a recent thaw in diplomatic ties.

Prime Minister Mark Carney is scheduled to visit India in the coming weeks as both governments aim to broaden trading partners. India's High Commissioner to Canada, Dinesh Patnaik, said the trip will take place after India tables its budget on Feb. 1. The visit follows more than two years of strained relations between Ottawa and New Delhi that have begun to thaw recently. Leaders from both countries have signalled an interest in launching talks on a new trade pact announced at the G20. Known details: - Carney's visit is planned for early 2026 and will occur after India tables its budget on Feb. 1, according to India’s High Commissioner Dinesh Patnaik. - Relations cooled in 2023 after Canadian allegations linking Indian agents to the killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar and RCMP accusations of involvement by Indian agents in homicides, extortion and threats in Canada. - The Indian government has denied ordering extrajudicial killings in Canada, and Patnaik described the accusations as unfounded. - Both leaders agreed to launch negotiations toward a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), a process first announced when they met at the G20 summit in South Africa. Carney had accepted an invitation to visit India in early 2026. - Officials cited trade diversification as a motive for closer ties; both Canada and India face steep U.S. tariffs, and diplomats highlighted sectors such as energy, fertilizers, agri-food, innovation, R&D, aerospace and defence as priorities. Summary: The visit is intended to advance talks on a CEPA and to deepen trade ties as both countries navigate high U.S. tariffs and a recent diplomatic thaw. Carney's trip will follow ministerial missions to India and is scheduled after India tables its Feb. 1 budget. Ongoing negotiations and diplomatic contacts will determine how quickly formal agreements progress.