NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday held a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, including talks with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.During the bilateral talks with the UK PM Starmer, PM Modi reviewed the progress in India-UK relations and explored ways to further enhance collaboration across a range of sectors. The discussions covered various aspects of the bilateral ties, particularly in trade, investment, technology, defence and people-to-people exchanges.The meeting with Carney also saw both leaders signal their intent to accelerate negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), with the Canadian prime minister expressing hope that the deal could be concluded by the G20 Summit.PM Modi discuss trade, energy and technology cooperation with Canada’s CarneyDuring his meeting with the Canadian prime minister, PM Modi underlined the progress made in bilateral relations and expressed confidence about advancing cooperation in several key areas.“I am delighted that our first meeting was at G7, and today we are meeting after a year. As you mentioned, we have met four times. We have been openly exchanging views on bilateral relations and international developments, and we are making significant progress as friendly countries. I am deeply grateful for your concern for the Indian diaspora. You are right in saying that we are very keen on a free trade agreement, and as you have invited me to visit Canada, I will also strive to come this year and complete this agreement before my arrival. We want to advance a lot in technology. Canada can be a major partner in energy security. These are all areas that we will have significant discussions about today, and I am very grateful for the opportunity to meet with all of you,” PM Modi said.Carney echoed the sentiment, highlighting the pace of progress in bilateral engagement and setting an ambitious target for trade negotiations.“…Right from the start you have set a high bar for the relationship and what we can do together…We are making very good progress…To be clear, His Excelleny likes a deadline (for India-Canada are actively negotiating a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA)) and we like as well. The deadline is to complete by the G20…There is so much more to do together, there is one objective – it is to double our trade by the end of this decade...” the Canadian prime minister said.According to ministry of external affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, the two leaders reviewed the progress achieved in bilateral engagement and discussed ways to build a stronger partnership driven by trade, energy, innovation, education and people-to-people exchanges.“Both leaders reviewed the excellent progress made in bilateral engagement and discussed ways to build a stronger partnership driven by trade, energy, innovation, education and people-to-people exchanges,” Jaiswal said in a post on X.Focus on economic partnershipThe meeting between PM Modi and Carney comes against the backdrop of renewed efforts by both countries to strengthen economic and strategic cooperation.Carney had visited India from 27 February to 2 March, during which the two countries finalised key agreements on the supply of uranium and critical minerals and agreed to work towards concluding a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) at the earliest.During that visit, the two prime ministers also committed to expanding cooperation in defence, critical technologies, small and modular nuclear reactors, education and renewable energy.
