India and Canada aim to close their trade deal by end-2026 after fifth round

India and Canada held the fifth round of negotiations for their proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in Ottawa from 5 to 9 October 2026. According to All India Radio News, both sides aim to conclude the agreement by the end of 2026. The two governments have also agreed to deepen cooperation in energy and critical minerals.

Why it matters for exporters

The talks have moved quickly since they restarted this year: a second round was held in May and a third in Ottawa in July 2026. Canada has no trade agreement with India today, so Indian goods enter Canada at its normal (MFN) duty rates. A CEPA would be the first deal to cut those duties.

What has not happened yet: no tariff schedule, rules of origin or timetable for entry into force has been published. Even if talks finish in December, signing, ratification and customs notifications would follow before any exporter can claim a lower duty.

What to watch

• A joint statement or PIB release summarising the outcome of the fifth round.
• Announcements on which product lines get duty cuts first, especially labour-intensive goods such as textiles, leather, gems and jewellery and processed food.
• The draft rules of origin, which will decide whether your product qualifies.

Exportsmitra suggests that exporters already selling to Canada note their current Canadian duty rate for each HS line, so they can quickly see what a deal would save once the terms are published.

Sources

• All India Radio News – India, Canada to start 5th round of CEPA negotiations (5 Oct 2026)
• ANI – India, Canada conclude third round of CEPA talks in Ottawa (12 Jul 2026)
• PIB – India–Canada joint statement on second round (May 2026)

Last checked: 15 October 2026.

Drafted with AI help from public sources.