January 21, 2026
RED FM News Desk
International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu is calling for expanded trade ties with India, with a focus on agriculture and energy, as Canada prepares to launch formal negotiations toward a new economic agreement next month.
Speaking Wednesday from the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he was travelling with Prime Minister Mark Carney, Sidhu said talks are expected to begin in February and will take a pragmatic approach to repairing strained relations.
Sidhu said India is a key target in Canada’s effort to diversify trade, noting its rapid economic growth and rising demand for energy and food. “India is requiring 70 per cent more energy by 2040, and Canada has that,” he said.
Canada–India relations have been tense following Ottawa’s allegations linking Indian government agents to the 2023 killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, which led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from both countries. Relations began to thaw last year, with high commissioners reappointed and leaders agreeing to pursue a new trade deal.
Sidhu said Canada is also advancing trade talks with several Southeast Asian nations and South America as part of its broader diversification strategy.
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