India, Canada conclude third round of talks on proposed trade pact

📌 Summary:

• India and Canada concluded the third round of negotiations for the proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in Ottawa on Friday (July 10, 2026)
• Both sides aim to wind up the talks within this year
• The five-day talks covered trade in goods and services, intellectual property, rules of origin, sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures, and technical barriers to trade (TBT)
• The resumption of trade talks signals a thaw in India-Canada ties after earlier diplomatic strains

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS2 (International Relations — bilateral agreements, India-Canada) and GS3 (external sector, trade policy). CEPA-type agreements are central to India's strategy of deepening market access with developed economies.

📝 Prelims Facts:

• CEPA = Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement — a wide-ranging FTA covering goods, services, investment and more
• "Rules of origin" determine the economic nationality of a product for preferential tariff eligibility
• SPS measures relate to food safety and animal/plant health; TBT covers technical standards and regulations

🔑 Key Term: Rules of Origin — criteria used to determine the country of origin of a product, deciding whether it qualifies for preferential (lower) tariffs under a trade agreement.