India, Nov. 24 -- The Canadian government has said that a comprehensive trade deal with India could serve as a "powerful economic anchor" between the two countries.

The decision to launch negotiations towards a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) was announced following a bilateral meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney on the margins of the G20 Leaders' Summit in Johannesburg on Sunday.

A readout of the meeting issued by the Canadian prime minister's office on Sunday said, "The leaders expressed confidence that the CEPA will serve as a powerful economic anchor and help more than double two-way trade to 70 billion Canadian dollars by 2030."

It also said that Carney h...