New Delhi: India is likely to pursue an investment commitment, similar to provisions in some of its latest free trade agreements (FTAs), under the proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with Canada, according to reports.
“Both sides will sit together to decide what quantum of investment would be suitable,” an official told Business Standard on condition of anonymity. “We have to see whether it can be $50 billion or $100 billion in the next 10-15 years,” the official said.
India has already incorporated foreign direct investment (FDI) commitments in some of its recent trade pacts. Under the recently signed agreement with New Zealand, it secured a commitment of $20 billion in FDI over 15 years, while the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) with the four-nation European Free Trade Association (EFTA) entails an FDI commitment of $100 billion over 15 years.
The discussions on an FDI commitment under the proposed trade agreement with Canada follow Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal's visit to the North American nation last week. During the visit, Goyal met Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Minister of International Trade Maninder Sidhu to expedite trade deal negotiations that resumed in March after a gap of more than two years.
Canada's FDI into India has nearly doubled over the past four years. The North American nation was India's 16th-largest source of FDI in FY26, with cumulative investment of $4.33 billion since April 2000, according to the latest data available with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
