Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 17 (ANI): Canadian Minister of International Trade Maninder Sidhu will be embarking on a visit to Mumbai from September 18-19 to strengthen Canada's trade and investment relationship with India by advancing the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).

According to an official release from the Canadian government, Sidhu's visit involves several bilateral engagements.

He will meet with Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal as well as with other government officials and business representatives to discuss bilateral trade and investment ties and to advance negotiations toward a Canada-India comprehensive economic partnership agreement. 

The Canadian minister will also be engaging in business outreach to advance Canada's trade objectives in the region, the release stated. 

After concluding his visit in Mumbai, Minister Sidhu will participate in the Fifteenth Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Economic Ministers-Canada Consultation in Manila, Philippines on September 21-22. 

He will meet with ASEAN partners to advance the ASEAN-Canada free trade agreement negotiations and with Filipino partners to advance negotiations toward a Canada-Philippines free trade agreement, the release stated. 

Reflecting on his upcoming visit, the Minister expressed enthusiasm and optimism for meeting the negotiating teams in India and the Philippines for the ASEAN Economic Ministers-Canada Consultations. 

"I look forward to joining my negotiating teams in India and the Philippines for the ASEAN Economic Ministers-Canada Consultations, as we build momentum and work towards concluding trade agreements with each of these partners. India, ASEAN, and the Philippines are among the fastest-growing economies in the world. I will be meeting with government and business leaders to strengthen our trade relationships and attract new investment to Canada. We already have preferential access to a market of 1.5 billion consumers, and by concluding agreements with these partners, we will double that reach to 3 billion,' he said.

The release further highlighted that three rounds of negotiations toward a Canada-India CEPA have been completed, laying the groundwork for a fourth round of negotiations happening this week. Canada and India have expressed the shared objective of concluding negotiations by the end of 2026.

Canada is looking to double exports to markets beyond the United States over the next decade, including doubling two-way trade with India to USD 70 billion annually by 2030. In 2025, two-way goods and services trade between Canada and India totalled $30.4 billion, of which $13.6 billion was in merchandise trade, the release emphasised. 

Furthermore, regarding the trade partnership with the Philippines, the Canadian government stated that in 2025, the Philippines was Canada's sixth-largest merchandise export market in ASEAN. Bilateral merchandise trade totalled USD 3.4 billion, with merchandise exports to the Philippines totalling USD 1.1 billion and imports from the Philippines totalling USD 2.3 billion.

In 2025, Canada-ASEAN bilateral merchandise trade reached USD 52.5 billion, up 23.7% from USD 42.4 billion in 2024.Merchandise imports from ASEAN have increased by 100.1% since 2020, underscoring the region's growing role as a key partner, the release highlighted. 

Earlier in May, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal paid a three-day visit to Canada, as New Delhi and Ottawa focus on resetting their ties with an aim to conclude the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) by the end of this year.

Speaking at a joint press address with Union Minister Piyush Goyal, Canadian Minister Sidhu recalled the sustained interactions between the Indian and Canadian leadership, along with the announcement of the uranium deal with Canada.

He called Goyal's visit 'very timely' and noted, 'There's a lot of excitement to do more with India in terms of our economic partnership.'

Sidhu said, 'I'm proud to announce that I will be taking a Team Canada trade mission to India later this year to match the energy that Minister Goyal brought here to Canada.'

CEPA negotiations have gathered pace since the Terms of Reference were signed in March 2025. The first round of talks was held virtually in March 2026, followed by a second round that concluded on May 8. Technical negotiations were subsequently held in Ottawa from May 25 to 29 alongside Goyal's visit. (ANI)