WASHINGTON: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said that Canada and India are building a new strategic partnership across key sectors, including energy, innovation, and artificial intelligence, highlighting growing economic cooperation between the two countries.
Speaking to reporters during a press interaction in Sydney, Carney said deeper engagement with India reflects the changing global landscape and the ambitions of both nations to expand economic and technological ties.
“Canada and India are forging a new strategic partnership in energy, in talent, in innovation, and artificial intelligence, ” he said, a day after he concluded his historic trip to India.
Carney said a comprehensive economic agreement between the two countries is expected to play a central role in expanding bilateral trade. “Foundational to this partnership is the new comprehensive economic partnership agreement, which we aim to conclude this year, ” he said.
The Canadian leader said recent discussions in India had already produced major commercial agreements.
“In India, we secured over $5 billion in commercial agreements, ” he said.
He added that the agreements would deepen cooperation between Canadian and Indian businesses and attract investment into communities in both countries.
“These agreements will help double two-way trade to over $70 billion by 2030, ” Carney said.
Energy cooperation is also part of the expanding partnership, including collaboration in civil nuclear energy.
“The government of India and KO's $2.6 billion uranium supply agreement will support India’s civil nuclear energy program and our shared commitment to clean, reliable base load power, ” he said.
Carney also highlighted cooperation in education and innovation.
“We also launched Canada Indian Talent and Innovation Strategy backed by 13 educational partnerships between our leading universities, ” he said.
He said engagement between the two governments has increased significantly in recent months.
“There has been more engagement between the Canadian and the Indian governments over the course of less than the past year than in total over the past two decades, ” he said.