India, Oct. 22 -- India and Canada may explore deeper energy cooperation while expeditiously concluding negotiations for a comprehensive free trade deal, people aware of the matter said, adding that the countries plan to establish a two-way energy supply chain in which India would import Canadian oil and gas and send refined petroleum products the other way. A team of Canadian negotiators will visit New Delhi early next month to participate in the sixth round of free trade talks, they said, requesting anonymity. Both sides are making efforts to conclude negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) before an expected visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Canada in mid-December, they added. The prime ministers of the two countries have decided to cooperate in key areas such as trade, energy, technology, security and people-to-people ties, they said. The High Commission of India in Ottawa last week announced Modi's visit to Canada on December 11-12. Establishing a robust energy supply chain is one of the potential areas of cooperation, the people mentioned above said. Canadian oil sands are the world's fourth largest oil deposits and it is also the fourth largest producer of crude oil in the world after the US, Russia and Saudi Arabia. It is also fifth largest producer of natural gas. India and Canada are compatible for a robust energy supply chain. While Canada is one of the top oil and gas producers, India is the world's third biggest crude oil consumer after the US and China. It is also the second largest consumer of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG or cooking gas) and fourth largest consumer of liquefied natural gas (LNG). "India and Canada are in talks to establish reliable supply chains in key sectors such as crude oil, LPG, LNG, potash, nuclear fuel (uranium) and refined petroleum products. India is a major refining hub and it can ensure supply of fuels and petroleum products to Canada," one of the people cited above said....