Modi And Carney Chart Course For Enhanced India-Canada Ties In Defense, Space, And Beyond
In a key bilateral discussion on the fringes of the G20 Summit, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart, Mark Carney, committed to tapping untapped opportunities for expanded collaboration in defense and space exploration, while pushing forward partnerships in trade, investment, technology, and energy.
The leaders’ encounter on Sunday, November 23, 2025, marked their second face-to-face interaction, following an initial meeting in June 2025 during the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Canada. Describing the talks as highly fruitful, Mr. Modi shared on social media: “Had a very productive meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada.” He highlighted the robust progress in bilateral relations since their prior engagement, expressing intent to accelerate advancements in trade, investment, technology and innovation, energy, and education in the months ahead.
Both nations see substantial scope for bolstering economic connections, with Mr. Modi noting a shared goal to elevate bilateral trade to $50 billion by 2030. He pointed to growing interest from Canadian Pension Funds in Indian enterprises. Last year, 2024, India-Canada trade exceeded $30 billion, positioning India as Canada’s seventh-largest partner in goods and services.
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The agenda also encompassed strategic domains, with agreements to deepen ties in defense and space, alongside plans for another summit soon. Mr. Modi’s office underscored the positive trajectory in relations, as echoed in a Ministry of External Affairs readout.
The MEA detailed the leaders’ endorsement of the Australia-Canada-India Technology and Innovation (ACITI) Partnership, designed to enhance trilateral efforts in critical technologies, nuclear energy, supply chain diversification, and artificial intelligence. They commended the revitalized momentum sparked by the June G7 sidelines discussion and the October 2025 launch of a New Roadmap for bilateral engagement by their foreign ministers.
Talks spanned trade and investment, defense, education, space, science and technology, and energy. Mr. Carney voiced backing for India’s upcoming AI Summit in February 2026. The duo greenlit negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with high ambitions, targeting a trade doubling to $50 billion by 2030. They reaffirmed enduring civil nuclear cooperation, including active talks on broader collaboration like sustained uranium supplies.
Emphasizing consistent high-level dialogue, Mr. Modi invited Mr. Carney to India. This comes amid recent diplomatic thawing: Earlier this month, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar conferred with Canadian counterpart Anita Anand on the G7 Foreign Ministers’ sidelines in Niagara, covering trade, energy, security, and interpersonal links. Ms. Anand’s India visit last month unveiled a forward-looking roadmap on trade, critical minerals, and energy. Canada’s International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu also traveled to India this month to scout avenues for trade and investment growth.
Relations had plummeted after then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s 2023 claims of possible Indian involvement in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, which India labeled “absurd.” Recent initiatives, including revived mechanisms across sectors, signal a deliberate pivot toward normalization.