India has called on Canada to resume the paused free trade negotiations, highlighting the importance of a dependable economic partnership even as diplomatic tensions linger between the two nations.
India’s High Commissioner to Ottawa, Dinesh Patnaik, said in an interview with CTV aired Sunday night that the decision now rests with Canada.
“We will discuss with Canada if it is ready to sign a free trade deal with us—we’ll be more than happy to work with them. But it’s for the Canadians to restart it,” he stated.
Negotiations for an Early Progress Trade Agreement (EPTA) were halted by Ottawa in August 2023, just weeks before relations soured following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s claim of “credible allegations” linking Indian agents to the killing of pro-Khalistan activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, B.C.
Despite the diplomatic chill, Patnaik emphasized that India remains open to talks and, when they resume, will seek a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) instead of the earlier limited EPTA framework.
“Canada was one of our good friends. There’s no reason we can’t have a trade deal—but it’s up to Canada to decide what it wants,” Patnaik said.
Asked whether India currently views Canada as a reliable supplier, Patnaik replied, “Not yet,” stressing that India wants a relationship shielded from “extraneous factors” that could disrupt economic cooperation.
He added that India still believes Canada can be a trusted partner and expressed hope for rebuilding confidence:
“Our work is to ensure the economic relationship is firewalled from external forces trying to derail it.”
