Canada’s PM Carney in India to reset ties and bolster trade

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived in Mumbai on Friday, February 27, 2026, for a landmark visit to India as he seeks to diversify his country's trade partners amid ongoing tensions with the United States, where President Donald Trump has imposed steep tariffs on key Canadian exports. During his visit, Carney is expected to address business leaders in Mumbai before traveling to New Delhi for a crucial meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday to discuss partnerships spanning trade, energy, technology, artificial intelligence, and defense. The trip follows an agreement last year for Canada and India to resume negotiations on a proposed free-trade agreement, with Carney previously expressing his goal to more than double two-way trade with India by 2030, targeting an annual value of $51 billion. India's foreign ministry has welcomed the visit as a "significant step" in strengthening bilateral ties, highlighting that the India-Canada partnership is "anchored in shared democratic values, strong people-to-people ties, and expanding cooperation across diverse sectors." For India, the visit presents an opportunity to attract more overseas investments, with Canadian pension and wealth funds already having invested $73 billion in the country. Additionally, as the world's fastest-growing major economy with significant energy needs, India hopes Canada can support its ambitious plans to expand nuclear power capacity. However, the visit also comes with challenges as Carney works to reset damaged relations between the two countries. Diplomatic ties had nosedived after Canada's former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India's government of orchestrating the 2023 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a naturalized Canadian citizen advocating for an independent Sikh state. India dismissed these allegations, leading to both nations expelling a string of top diplomats in 2024. When asked whether concerns about transnational repression would feature in the New Delhi talks, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand indicated that such matters are "always at the forefront of our minds." Following India, Carney will visit Australia and Japan to discuss military, trade, and defense links, with particular focus on boosting trade in cars, energy, and critical minerals.