Toronto/New Delhi, Oct. 17 -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Canada in December, people familiar with the matter said on Friday against the backdrop of fast-track negotiations for a trade deal that the two countries are hoping to conclude by the year-end. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told a gathering of the Indo-Canadian community in Calgary on Thursday that Modi is expected to visit in mid-December. "He [Modi] is coming, I think it'll largely be to Ottawa and Toronto but we'll see if we can broaden it out. I know the dates are December 11 and 12," Carnney said in an informal chat with community members. The Indian high commission in Ottawa mentioned the same dates in a social media post regarding the visit, though the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the finer details of the visit are yet to be locked down. The two sides are still engaged in talks to finalise the dates, they said. When external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal was asked about the dates for the visit at a regular media briefing, he said Modi's trip to Canada came up for discussion during Canadian foreign minister Anita Anand's interactions with Indian interlocutors in New Delhi this week. "The dates for the visit are presently under discussion and we will announce the visit at the appropriate time," he said, indicating that the two sides were yet to lock down the exact schedule. Anand was the first to formally announce the visit on Wednesday, saying Canada looks forward to welcoming Modi in December. Carney also spoke on the phone with Modi on Tuesday, and the two leaders agreed to build on the positive momentum in relations and work towards concrete outcomes in trade, energy, technology, security and people-to-people ties. People familiar with Modi's schedule said the PM will meet Carney and Canadian business leaders in Ottawa and attend a diaspora gathering in Toronto before travelling to the US for the G20 Summit. Besides travelling to Canada and the US, Modi is expected to go to the Belgian capital of Brussels during December 16-17 for the signing of the India-European Union (EU) free trade agreement. India and Canada are expected to announce the conclusion of negotiations for the comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) during Modi's visit. The fifth round of trade talks were held in Ottawa last week. Officials are expected to review outstanding issues in November while the items agreed upon undergo legal scrubbing. HT first reported earlier this month that India is eyeing Carney as the chief guest for the Republic Day celebrations in January 2027. This will be Modi's first bilateral trip to Canada since 2015, when he travelled to Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver during Stephen Harper's final year as PM. Both sides have worked to repair ties after Carney was elected PM in 2025. Canada is keen on bolstering economic ties with countries such as India to offset its trade tensions with the US. India and Canada launched negotiations for the trade deal in New Delhi on March 2, when the two sides signed the terms of reference in the presence of Modi and Carney. The talks have moved swiftly since then, with the first round of negotiations held the same month. India is expected to purchase energy from Canada. Canada exports goods such as vegetables, mineral fuels and oils, and wood pulp to India worth $3.9 billion. It imports Indian merchandise worth $9.7 billion, including precious stones, metals, machinery, and pharmaceuticals. India and Canada have been working overtime to finalise the trade deal before the year-end. They aim to raise two-way trade to $70 billion by 2030. Goods and services trade between India and Canada in 2025 was worth $30.4 billion, with merchandise trade contributing $13.6 billion....