India, Aug. 28 -- India has expressed its readiness to initiate negotiations towards a bilateral investment treaty, according a joint statement issued after the first Economic and Financial Dialogue between the two countries.

The statement was issued following the meeting between India's Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Canadian counterpart Francois-Philippe Champagne met in Toronto on Thursday morning.

It noted that the meeting reflected the "shared commitment" of the two countries to "deepen economic ties, including through enhanced trade and investment, and to deliver tangible outcomes that support economic growth and expand commercial opportunities in both countries".

They also discussed the mutual benefits of further st...