Canada's High Commissioner to India Christopher Cooter has talked about rapid improvement in relations between the two countries. He expressed hope that the final draft of the CEPA trade agreement would be ready before PM Modi's visit to Canada in December.
New Delhi: Canadian High Commissioner Christopher Cooter has given an important statement regarding the improving relations between India and Canada for some time. He said that the relations between the two countries are no longer limited to just forgetting old bitterness and making a new beginning, but cooperation has progressed a lot. Cooter expressed hope that negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) could be completed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's proposed visit to Canada on December 11-12.
Big hopes on trade deal before PM Modi's visit
Canada's High Commissioner to India Christopher Cooter, in a conversation with The Times of India, has expressed confidence in the trade relations between the two countries. He says that India and Canada have come very close to finalizing the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. The sixth round of trade talks has started between the two countries this week.
On Wednesday, November 11, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal met Canada's International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu. Both leaders emphasized on crafting an agreement that would create new opportunities for trade and investment. According to Cooter, if the talks progress in the desired direction, the completion of the agreement can be announced during Prime Minister Modi's December visit.
However, he clarified that even after the final draft is prepared, it will take time for the agreement to get legal approval. In Canada, provincial governments are also involved in this process. The agreement will be implemented only after formal approval from both the countries.
'This is not just a reset, it is much more than that'
Regarding the changes in India-Canada relations, Cooter said that both the countries have progressed faster than expected. He told that when he came to India in September 2025, the process of improving relations was in the initial stage. At that time it was not clear how fast the talks would progress or whether the two countries would back down again.
According to Cooter, the situation changed due to continuous talks between Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Both governments took steps to increase cooperation in areas such as trade, energy, security and technology. He also mentioned Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand's visit to India last month. According to Cooter, during that meeting with Prime Minister Modi, the progress in relations between the two countries was discussed.
Cooter said that this change in relations is not just a general diplomatic improvement, but the scope of cooperation between the two countries has become wider than before.
How will businessmen benefit from the India-Canada trade deal?
If a trade agreement is signed between India and Canada, new avenues can open up for the businessmen of both the countries. Currently, there are problems in import and export of many goods due to duties and other rules. In the proposed CEPA agreement, emphasis is being laid on reducing these problems, so that Indian companies can do business easily in Canada and the companies there can do business easily in India.
If we look at the figures of the Government of Canada, the total trade in goods and services between the two countries in 2025 was about 30.4 billion Canadian dollars. Now India and Canada are trying to increase this figure to 70 billion Canadian dollars annually by 2030. For this, talks are going on regarding agricultural products, energy, new technology, investment and service sector.
According to Christopher Cooter, Canada's High Commissioner to India, the two countries are also discussing some other agreements along with the main trade agreement. These include issues like making it easier for people and professionals to move from one country to another in connection with business.
Cooter has also indicated that during the possible visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Canada, some announcements may be made regarding mutual cooperation in the space sector. However, it is not yet clear on which projects the two countries will work together and how much investment will be made in these.
How many opportunities are there for Indian students to study in Canada?
For some time now, there has been concern among Indian students preparing to study in Canada regarding the rules of visa and study permit. After the decision to limit the number of foreign students, many families started feeling that now it will be more difficult than before to get admission in Canada. On this, Canadian High Commissioner Christopher Cooter said that his country is not closing the doors to Indian students.
According to him, about three lakh Indian students are studying in Canada. The government is not trying to stop such students who really want to go there to get good education. Cooter said that in the past years, some educational institutions had emerged where more emphasis was given on showing students the way to permanent settlement in Canada than on studies. For this reason the government had to make changes in the rules related to international students.
He said that the limit set for foreign students has not yet been met. In such a situation, Indian students having the required qualifications can apply to study in Canada.
However, students should not make decisions based solely on the claims of any agent or college. Before applying, one must check whether the concerned institution is allowed to admit international students or not. The current study permit rules and required documents should also be checked from the official website of the Government of Canada.
Why is the meeting of PM Modi and Mark Carney important in December?
Businessmen from both the countries are also keeping an eye on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's proposed visit to Canada in December 2026. Media reports have suggested December 11 and 12 as possible dates. During this visit, talks are expected to take place on many issues including trade agreements between Prime Minister Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
There was a lot of tension in the relations between India and Canada in the last few years. This affected the political relations between the two countries as well as the business negotiations. However, after Mark Carney became Prime Minister, efforts to improve relations have intensified.