'Looking forward to hosting him': Mark Carney confirms PM Modi's Canada visit in December, CEPA likely to be signed
US President Donald Trump will host the G20 Summit on December 14–15 at the Trump National Doral Miami resort in Doral, Florida.
- Sep 23, 2026,
- Updated Sep 23, 2026 11:46 AM IST
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has confirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit Canada around December this year, as both countries race to finalise a long-pending trade deal by the end of 2026.
Speaking on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Carney said negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) are making “good progress” and that Ottawa and New Delhi are aiming to wrap up talks by the mid-December G20 summit in Miami.
US President Donald Trump will host the G20 Summit on December 14–15 at the Trump National Doral Miami resort in Doral, Florida.
“We’re making good progress in our trade negotiations with India. It is an exceptionally important relationship, on many, many levels, people-to-people levels, security levels, and also trade and economics. PM Modi will be visiting Canada around that time. I very much look forward to hosting him,” Carney told.
Indian officials have separately indicated that the trade agreement could be completed by November, with Modi travelling to Canada the following month to sign it.
Next round of talks
The fifth round of CEPA negotiations is scheduled to begin on October 5, with Indian negotiators travelling to Canada for talks expected to run until October 9. Both sides have committed to concluding the negotiations by the end of 2026, after formally relaunching the CEPA process during Carney’s visit to India in March.
Bilateral trade between India and Canada stood at around $8 billion in FY 2025–26, with India exporting goods worth $4.67 billion and importing $3.28 billion, according to India’s Commerce Ministry. The two countries have also set an ambition to lift bilateral trade to $50 billion by 2030.
Thaw in ties
The expected visit marks another step in the normalisation of India–Canada relations after a sharp downturn in 2023 following the killing of Canadian Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia. Carney’s March trip to India was the first bilateral visit by a Canadian prime minister since 2018, and at a June meeting Modi thanked him for the invitation to visit Canada in 2026.
ALSO READ: G20 Summit: PM Modi expected to travel to US; bilateral with Trump likely on the cards, say sources
While the broad timeframe for Modi’s visit has been indicated, the exact dates are yet to be finalised, with both sides working through diplomatic channels to settle a mutually convenient schedule.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has confirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit Canada around December this year, as both countries race to finalise a long-pending trade deal by the end of 2026.
Speaking on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Carney said negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) are making “good progress” and that Ottawa and New Delhi are aiming to wrap up talks by the mid-December G20 summit in Miami.
US President Donald Trump will host the G20 Summit on December 14–15 at the Trump National Doral Miami resort in Doral, Florida.
“We’re making good progress in our trade negotiations with India. It is an exceptionally important relationship, on many, many levels, people-to-people levels, security levels, and also trade and economics. PM Modi will be visiting Canada around that time. I very much look forward to hosting him,” Carney told.
Indian officials have separately indicated that the trade agreement could be completed by November, with Modi travelling to Canada the following month to sign it.
Next round of talks
The fifth round of CEPA negotiations is scheduled to begin on October 5, with Indian negotiators travelling to Canada for talks expected to run until October 9. Both sides have committed to concluding the negotiations by the end of 2026, after formally relaunching the CEPA process during Carney’s visit to India in March.
Bilateral trade between India and Canada stood at around $8 billion in FY 2025–26, with India exporting goods worth $4.67 billion and importing $3.28 billion, according to India’s Commerce Ministry. The two countries have also set an ambition to lift bilateral trade to $50 billion by 2030.
Thaw in ties
The expected visit marks another step in the normalisation of India–Canada relations after a sharp downturn in 2023 following the killing of Canadian Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia. Carney’s March trip to India was the first bilateral visit by a Canadian prime minister since 2018, and at a June meeting Modi thanked him for the invitation to visit Canada in 2026.
ALSO READ: G20 Summit: PM Modi expected to travel to US; bilateral with Trump likely on the cards, say sources
While the broad timeframe for Modi’s visit has been indicated, the exact dates are yet to be finalised, with both sides working through diplomatic channels to settle a mutually convenient schedule.