India-Canada Renew Trade Ties with Future-Focused Push

As global trade winds shift and economies look to secure their place in the next era of innovation, India and Canada have taken a decisive step forward—reaffirming a partnership that both nations believe is not just longstanding, but strategically future-facing. This renewed push came during the 7th Ministerial Dialogue on Trade and Investment (MDTI), held in New Delhi, where the spotlight was firmly on strengthening bilateral trade, boosting investments, and building resilient supply chains that can withstand global disruptions.

The meeting carried a sense of recalibrated intent. Canada’s Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development, Maninder Sidhu, visited India from November 11 to 14, 2025, following an invitation from India’s Commerce & Industry Minister Piyush Goyal. The dialogue was timely, arriving soon after new directives issued during the Prime Ministers’ meeting at the G7 Summit in Kananaskis and the October 2025 Joint Statement titled “Renewing momentum towards a stronger partnership.”

Together, these milestones set the tone for a reset—one where both countries want to move beyond past frictions and unlock the full potential of a high-impact economic relationship.

A Bilateral Trade Curve That’s Steadily Rising

At the heart of the conversation was a shared recognition: India and Canada’s economic ties remain robust, stable, and full of latent possibility. Numbers underscored this momentum.

Bilateral trade in goods and services touched USD 23.66 billion in 2024, a testament to steady growth. Merchandise trade alone surged to USD 8.98 billion, reflecting a healthy year-on-year rise of 10%.

Both Ministers welcomed this trajectory, also highlighting the deepening investment flows between the two countries. Canadian institutional investments continue to find strong ground in India’s expanding markets, while Indian companies are broadening their presence across Canada. Together, these two-way commitments support tens of thousands of jobs—signifying a partnership that is grounded in mutual economic benefit.

Importantly, the Ministers reaffirmed their shared priority: creating and preserving an open, transparent, and predictable investment climate.

Spotlight on New-Age, High-Growth Sectors

A major thrust of the dialogue revolved around emerging industries—sectors that are not only high-growth but also central to the global tech-driven transformation. For India’s fast-growing startup landscape, these signals carry notable implications.

Both nations reiterated their alignment in several innovation-led domains:

🔹 Critical Minerals & Clean Energy

With the world accelerating toward energy transition, critical minerals have become the backbone of new-age manufacturing—from EV batteries to semiconductor ecosystems. India and Canada have agreed to encourage long-term supply chain partnerships, a move that opens new doors for collaboration among deep-tech and cleantech innovators, particularly startups that are shaping the next wave of sustainable technologies.

🔹 Aerospace & Dual-Use Capabilities

Aerospace emerged as another high-potential area. By expanding cooperation in aerospace technologies, both nations aim to unlock opportunities for startups, advanced manufacturing units, and R&D-intensive ventures operating in dual-use and precision tech domains.

These sectors combined reflect a shift toward a partnership built on the industries of tomorrow.

Supply Chain Resilience: A Shared Priority

Recent years have highlighted a critical truth: disrupted supply chains can shake entire economies. Keeping this in mind, the Ministers emphasized the need to create diversified, secure, and reliable supply chains.

This priority becomes especially crucial for sensitive sectors like agriculture, which plays a pivotal role in ensuring market stability and food security. Both sides committed to collaborating more closely to fortify these supply chains and reduce vulnerability to future global shocks.

People, Innovation, and the Power of Collaboration

Beyond policy-level agreements, both countries underscored a core pillar of their partnership—the strength of people-to-people ties. With large Indian communities contributing significantly to Canada’s economy and growing cross-border entrepreneurial activity, both Ministers stressed that these human linkages are indispensable.

The dialogue also highlighted the importance of sustained engagement with innovators, industry players, and entrepreneurs. For India’s startup ecosystem, Canada represents both a market and an innovation partner—particularly in niche sectors such as clean energy, aerospace, and critical minerals.

To keep the momentum consistent, India and Canada agreed to continue ministerial-level interactions with trade and investment communities in early 2026.

A Partnership Facing the Future

As the discussions concluded in New Delhi, the tone was unmistakably forward-looking. Both nations acknowledged the constructive dialogue and reiterated their commitment to building an economic relationship that aligns with evolving global trade dynamics and rapidly emerging tech sectors.

For India’s startup ecosystem, this renewed push from both governments could unlock significant opportunities—from deeper collaboration in cleantech and aerospace to building integrated supply chains around critical minerals and next-gen manufacturing.

In essence, the India–Canada partnership is stepping into a new chapter—grounded in trust, shaped by innovation, and geared toward a resilient, technology-driven future.