Canada PM heads to Asia seeking new trade partners as US ties fray

Prime Minister Mark Carney heads to Asia this week seeking to broaden international trade, part of his plan to reduce Canadian reliance on the United States, which he says has left the country vulnerable. 

Carney leaves Thursday for India, the first stop on a three-country tour that includes Australia and Japan. 

"In a more uncertain world, Canada is focused on what we can control," Carney said in a statement announcing the trip. 

"We are forging new partnerships abroad to create greater certainty, security and prosperity at home."

Carney has said that the US-led global order is fading and that Canada should not expect the old system to return once President Donald Trump leaves office. 

Trump's tariffs on autos, aluminum, lumber and steel are hurting the Canadian economy. 

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Carney says that to safeguard Canada's economic future, the country needs to massively expand non-US international trade. 

India is a key target and Carney says he wants to more than double two-way bilateral trade, eyeing a target of CAN$70 billion ($51 billion) by 2030. 

But his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be closely watched, as the leaders try to repair ties that effectively ruptured in 2024. 

Former prime minister Justin Trudeau accused India of involvement in the 2023 killing of a prominent Sikh activist in western Canada, allegations fiercely denied by New Delhi that sparked major diplomatic fallout.

After India, Carney is set to visit Sydney and Australia's capital, Canberra, ahead of a final stop in Tokyo, before returning on March 7.  

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