Piyush Goyal to Visit Canada to Advance CEPA Negotiations
Visiting Canada next month to speed up Cepa talks, says Piyush Goyal
Business Standard
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Piyush Goyal, India's Commerce and Industry Minister, will visit Canada next month to expedite discussions on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). This visit follows a pause in negotiations due to diplomatic tensions. Goyal also highlighted ongoing free trade agreement discussions with Peru and the Gulf Cooperation Council.
- 01Piyush Goyal's upcoming visit to Canada aims to accelerate CEPA negotiations.
- 02The terms of reference for CEPA have been finalized, marking a restart of talks.
- 03India is pursuing free trade agreements with Peru and the Gulf Cooperation Council.
- 04A new zero-fee regime for sports-related intellectual property filings has been announced.
- 05Patent applications in India reached a record 143,000 in FY 2025-26.
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Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal announced his visit to Canada next month to expedite negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). The terms of reference for the trade deal have been finalized, resuming discussions that were paused in 2023 due to diplomatic tensions. Goyal also mentioned ongoing talks for free trade agreements with Peru and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which have faced delays due to regional conflicts. He emphasized the importance of intellectual property (IP) in fostering innovation, announcing a three-year zero-fee regime for sports-related IP filings, covering patents, trademarks, and copyrights. This initiative aims to boost the sports ecosystem in India, including the manufacturing of sports equipment. Goyal noted a significant increase in patent applications, which rose over 30% to a record 143,000 in the fiscal year 2025-26, with domestic filings making up more than two-thirds of the total.
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The acceleration of CEPA negotiations could enhance trade opportunities for Indian businesses, particularly in the sports sector, where the new zero-fee regime may encourage innovation and manufacturing.
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