New Delhi, Feb 12 India and Canada may not be geographically connected or part of a formal military alliance, but economic complementarity and shared interests in global governance have long strengthened the relationship, a report said on Thursday.
Former diplomat Sanjay Kumar Verma, in an article published in ‘India Narrative’, said that if current trends continue, India-Canada relations in the coming decade will move beyond political fluctuations and focus more on investment flows, energy cooperation, supply chain partnerships, and people-to-people contacts.
He wrote that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s planned visit to India in the coming weeks could move bilateral relations from a phase of stability to a structured expansion, with a particular emphasis on trade structures, investment flows, and long-term energy integration.
According to Verma, progress toward finalizing the Terms of Reference for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement could be a significant step toward institutionalizing the economic relationship between the two countries. He stated that increased regulatory easing for Indian pharmaceuticals, digital services, engineering products, and refined petroleum products in Canada could provide a larger market for Indian exports.
In turn, India could open markets for Canadian exports in sectors such as energy resources, potash, pulses, timber, and advanced agricultural technology. Canadian institutional capital is already a major source of foreign investment in India’s infrastructure and renewable energy sectors. An integrated trade framework has the potential to double bilateral trade from current levels over the next decade, provided tariff, regulatory, and mobility barriers are gradually reduced.
The report states that, in addition to trade, the visit will also help clarify the economic, security, and strategic framework. Energy cooperation could advance discussions on structured hydrocarbon supplies, long-term uranium supplies for India’s civilian nuclear expansion, and clean baseload energy requirements.
In addition, industrial and technological cooperation in agriculture, energy, advanced manufacturing, critical mineral processing, aerospace, digital technologies, and next-generation manufacturing systems is possible. Areas such as clean and green technology, renewable energy integration, carbon management, and hydrogen value chains could become key pillars of the relationship. Research collaboration, startup partnerships, and skilled human resource mobility are also likely to be emphasized.
Cooperation is also expected to increase on the security front. According to the report, the two countries could strengthen coordination against cross-border terrorism, Khalistani networks, and anti-India elements operating in Canada. Special attention could be given to intelligence sharing between law enforcement and security agencies, curbing illicit financial flows, and joint action against organized crime and terror networks.
In multilateral forums, both countries could reiterate support for reforming global governance institutions, including the United Nations, counter-terrorism cooperation, and making the global development and security architecture more effective. According to the report, Prime Minister Carney’s potential visit to India could usher in a new, more structured, and long-term phase of cooperation in bilateral relations.
