Ottawa, Feb 26 (.) Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will depart for Mumbai on Thursday on an official visit to India aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation in trade, energy, technology and defence, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office of Canada.
Mumbai will be the first stop of Carney’s India visit, following which he will travel to New Delhi for talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The discussions are expected to focus on expanding economic engagement, deepening collaboration in Artificial Intelligence (AI), talent and cultural exchanges, and enhancing defence and strategic partnerships between the two countries.
Carney’s visit to India forms part of a broader Indo-Pacific tour from February 26 to March 7, which will also take him to Australia and Japan, as Ottawa seeks to diversify trade, unlock new opportunities for Canadian workers, and strengthen partnerships in key sectors including energy, technology, artificial intelligence (AI) and defence.
The Canadian Prime Minister will also engage with business leaders to explore investment prospects and promote deeper collaboration between between Canadian and Indian companies.
“In a more divided and uncertain world, Canada’s new government is focused on what we can control. We are building a stronger, more independent, and more resilient economy, diversifying our trade abroad, and attracting massive new international investment,” the Canadian PM said.
Through the visits to three of Canada’s strongest Indo-Pacific partners, Carney aims to deepen regional ties that are critical to national security and economic prosperity.
India is the world’s fastest-growing major economy and was Canada’s seventh-largest trading partner in 2024, with two-way trade totaling $30.8 billion. Canada and India are negotiating a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement aiming to more than double trade to $70 billion by 2030.
Canada and Australia have strong trade links, with bilateral merchandise trade of $6.1 billion in 2024 and Canadian direct investment in Australia totaling $58.8 billion.
In 2025, Canada, India, and Australia launched a trilateral technology and innovation partnership to deepen collaboration on critical and emerging technologies and diversify supply chains.
Japan is the world’s fourth-largest economy and a key commercial partner, with bilateral trade with Canada worth $36.4 billion annually.
Carney’s tour underscores Canada’s strategy to build a resilient economy at home while strengthening international partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region.
He will then travel to Sydney and Canberra to meet with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, focusing on defence and maritime security, critical minerals, trade, and advanced technologies. Carney will address both Houses of Australia’s Parliament, the first Canadian Prime Minister to do so in nearly 20 years,and meet business leaders to attract investment and strengthen two-way trade.
In Tokyo, he will meet Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae to boost partnerships in clean energy, advanced manufacturing, critical minerals, and food security. The leaders will also discuss joint security and defence efforts to support a free and open Indo-Pacific.
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