Canada Seals First Indo-Pacific Trade Deal with Indonesia

2025-09-24 23:21 By Farida Husna 1 min. read

Canada has signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with Indonesia, aiming to secure duty-free access for up to 95% of its exports within 8–12 months, Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu said.

It marks Canada’s first Indo-Pacific trade deal under Prime Minister Mark Carney, part of efforts to reduce reliance on the U.S.

“I see a lot of opportunities in agriculture, in energy and telecom, in defense and aerospace,” Sidhu noted, adding Indonesia was “seriously looking” at Canadian small modular reactors.

The pact could be ratified within a year, potentially doubling bilateral trade—currently just over CAD 5 billion—within six years.

Though Indonesia is not among Canada’s top 10 partners, it is its largest export market in Southeast Asia, providing access to the region.

Sidhu also signaled interest in a deal with the Philippines and said he may visit China in November as part of efforts to ease trade tensions.



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