India and Canada have launched a trade and investment forum aimed to bring together businesses from both countries and promote new commercial partnerships and increased business engagement, according to a joint statement issued on Friday.
The two countries have also agreed to enhance connectivity between India and Canada, including people-to-people ties, business mobility, and direct commercial linkages, as essential enablers of expanded trade and investment, it said.
The statement was issued after the conclusion of a three-day (May 25-27) official visit of Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal.
He has held a series of meetings with business leaders besides holding a bilateral meeting with Canada's Minister of International Trade, Maninder Sidhu.
"The Ministers launched the Canada-India Trade and Investment Forum as a key platform that brings together Canadian and Indian business leaders and fosters new commercial partnerships and increased business engagement," it said.
They reiterated their commitment to advancing an ambitious and mutually beneficial Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and affirmed their shared objective of concluding negotiations by the end of this year.
The pact will be important for expanding market access, supporting resilient supply chains, and enabling two-way economic growth.
Minister Sidhu confirmed that Canada will lead a Team Canada Trade Mission to India later this year.
(With inputs from PTI)