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India, Canada to Boost Partnership 03/02 06:23
NEW DELHI (AP) -- India and Canada on Monday agreed to strengthen their
economic partnership, in a move aimed at boosting ties after two years of
strained relationship.
Speaking after talks with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Indian Prime
Minister Narendra Modi said the two countries would soon finalize a
"comprehensive economic partnership" which is expected to increase bilateral
trade to $50 billion by 2030.
India and Canada began advancing negotiations on a long-pending trade
agreement last year, as Carney moved to re-engage with New Delhi, restore
diplomatic channels and stabilize ties between the two countries.
Carney said the two sides were aiming to conclude the deal by the end of the
year.
"This is not merely the renewal of a relationship. It is the expansion of a
valued partnership with new ambition, focus, and foresight," Carney said.
Ties deteriorated after Canadian authorities alleged that India was involved
in the killing of a Canadian Sikh activist near Vancouver in June 2023. New
Delhi vehemently denied the allegations and accused former Canadian Prime
Minister Justin Trudeau's government of harboring Sikh extremists of the
Khalistan movement. The movement, which aims to create an independent Sikh
homeland, is banned in India.
The fallout saw both sides expel senior diplomats and suspend some visa
services.
Relations improved last year in June when Carney invited Modi to the G7
summit in Alberta.
After the talks on Monday, Modi said India and Canada signed a nuclear
agreement under which Canada will supply uranium to India. The two countries
would also work to strengthen defense industries and enhance maritime domain
awareness, he said.
Officials from both sides also exchanged a series of memoranda of
understanding spanning areas including critical minerals, energy and cultural
cooperation.
Carney is expected to leave for Australia and Japan later Monday, part of
his effort to diversify trade away from the United States. He has set a goal
for Canada to double its non-U.S. exports in the next decade, saying American
tariffs are causing a chill in investment.
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