India and Canada have formally pledged to finalize their Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) negotiations by the end of 2026, alongside launching talks for a Bilateral Investment Treaty at the earliest date. Announced during the inaugural Economic and Financial Dialogue in Toronto between Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Canadian Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne, the bilateral framework targets expanding annual trade to CAD 70 billion (approximately ₹4.65 lakh crore) by 2030. Key operational discussions focused on facilitating cross-border remittances, expanding Canadian pension fund investments in India, and integrating India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) across Canada to support small businesses, education, and bilateral tourism. Simultaneously, the Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) has urgently petitioned Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh to regulate domestic cotton yarn exports. Soaring yarn prices, which spiked 60% from ₹250/kg to ₹400/kg due to trader hoarding and supply diversions to Bangladesh and Vietnam following US restrictions on Chinese cotton, are severely squeezing Indian garment exporters who offer far higher value addition compared to raw cotton exports.