New Delhi: India and Canada will hold the next round of negotiations on the proposed free trade agreement in early November here, according to the commerce ministry.

Chief negotiators from the two countries concluded the fifth round of negotiations for the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) on October 9 in Canada.

The next round will be held here in early November, the ministry said.

Read more: India, US lock first phase of trade pact; legal drafting underway: Piyush Goyal

On October 13, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and his Canadian counterpart, Maninder Sidhu, held discussions on the pact and agreed to advance the negotiations.

CEPA is a kind of free trade agreement under which two trading partners either significantly reduce or eliminate import duties on the maximum number of goods traded between them. It also eases norms to boost trade in services and investment.

Read more: India, Canada talks gaining momentum, to conclude CEPA negotiations this year: Sidhu

Both sides aim to conclude the negotiations by the end of this year.

Bilateral trade in goods declined 8.23 per cent to USD 7.95 billion in 2025-26 from USD 8.7 billion in 2024-25.