(Photo shared by MEA on X)
NEW DELHI: Canadian foreign minister Anita Anand landed in New Delhi on Sunday evening for a three-day visit aimed at boosting diplomatic and economic ties with India, as part of her broader tour of the Indo-Pacific region that includes Singapore and China.During her stay in the national capital, Anand will meet external affairs minister S Jaishankar and commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal. The meetings, scheduled for Monday, are expected to focus on advancing a framework for strategic cooperation covering trade diversification, energy transformation, and security. She will later travel to Mumbai to meet Indian and Canadian business leaders working to deepen investment and job creation across both economies.Announcing the trip earlier, the Canadian government said the visit was part of efforts to “advance bilateral relations and cooperation” with key Indo-Pacific partners. “For Canada to be strong at home, we need strong, stable partnerships abroad. I am building bridges and increasing cooperation with India, Singapore and China,” Anand said in a statement. “In line with Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, I will be working to advance efforts to position Canada as a trusted, reliable partner of choice for Indo-Pacific countries and their economies. ”The ministry of external affairs confirmed Anand’s official schedule, with meetings set at Hyderabad House and Vanijya Bhavan before her departure for Mumbai on Monday evening.MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal welcomed Anand on her first official visit to India, describing it as an opportunity to “build on the positive momentum in India-Canada relations by revitalising our bilateral mechanisms, deepening economic cooperation, and further strengthening the enduring people-to-people ties that anchor our partnership.” The visit comes amid cautious efforts by both sides to normalise engagement following a period of strained relations last year. Canada and India share more than 75 years of diplomatic ties, underpinned by strong community and business links. Two-way trade between the countries stood at $33.9 billion in 2024, with Canada’s exports to India totalling $5.3 billion, Ottawa said.Anand will continue her tour with stops in Singapore, marking 60 years of diplomatic relations, and in China, where she will meet foreign minister Wang Yi to mark 55 years of Canada-China diplomatic ties.
