Canadian foreign minister Anita Anand
NEW DELHI: After PM Narendra Modi’s meeting with counterpart Mark Carney in June this year, India and Canada seem set take another decisive step forward to normalise the relationship in the form of a likely visit next month to New Delhi by Canadian foreign minister Anita Anand. This will be the first bilateral visit by the foreign minister of either country since ties nosedived in 2023, following claims by Carney’s predecessor Justin Trudeau that the Indian government had a role in the killing of Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil. Both sides remain in touch to finalise the dates for the visit in October. The breakthrough in Modi-Carney meeting on the margins of the G7 summit in Canada led to the return of the high commissioners to each other’s capital earlier this month. High-level bilateral exchanges also seem to have resumed with Canadian National Security and Intelligence Adviser (NSIA) Nathalie Drouin and deputy foreign minister David Morrison visiting India in September. India and Canada have appointed veteran diplomats, Dinesh Patnaik and Christopher Cooter respectively, as high commissioners. According to Anand, Canada backs step-by-step approach to deepening diplomatic engagement and advancing bilateral cooperation with India. India is seeking a constructive and balanced relationship based on respect for each other’s concerns and sensitivities. India’s foreign ministry and Global Affairs Canada in talks last week reaffirmed the importance of India–Canada ties, anchored in “shared democratic values, respect for the rule of law, and commitment to the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity”. They also agreed to resume bilateral dialogue across key sectors like trade, defence, energy, civil nuclear, security, law enforcement and critical minerals. Amid global uncertainties that have been exacerbated by the US tariff policy, both sides seem keen to expand their economic partnership and build upon people-to-people contacts. Significantly, India and Canada have also agreed to address the shortage of diplomatic staff at their respective missions that resulted from expulsion of diplomats by both sides amid rising tensions last year over Nijjar’s murder. This is important for restoring diplomatic services in both countries for ordinary citizens, students and businesses. In Drouin’s meeting with counterpart Ajit Doval, according to an Indian readout, both sides had acknowledged the “clear momentum” for rebuilding trust and expanding cooperation at the highest levels of political leadership.
