Photo credit: ANI
NEW DELHI: India and Canada have agreed to formulate a “shared work plan” to guide cooperation on national security and law enforcement issues with a larger plan to have practical collaboration to address mutual concerns such as transnational criminal networks.The decision was taken at a meeting between National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and his Canadian counterpart Nathalie Drouin in Ottawa on Saturday.
The move is seen as part of efforts by the two sides to normalise their relations that came under severe strain following a diplomatic row over the killing of a Khalistani separatist in 2023.NSA Doval’s visit to Ottawa came as the two sides are making preparations for a likely trip to India early next month by Canadian prime minister Mark Carney.The ministry of external affairs (MEA), sharing details of the Doval-Drouin meeting, said on Sunday that the two sides acknowledged the progress on initiatives aimed at supporting the safety and security of their countries and citizens.”They agreed to a shared work plan to guide bilateral cooperation on national security and law enforcement issues and to enable practical collaboration on respective priorities,” it said. “During the meeting, it was agreed that each country would establish security and law-enforcement liaison officers and that their respective agencies would build on working relationships,” the MEA said in a statement.It said this “important step” will help streamline bilateral communications and enable timely information sharing on issues of “mutual concern” such as the “illegal flow of drugs, particularly fentanyl precursors, and transnational organized criminal networks”.”They also committed to formalising cooperation on cybersecurity policy and information sharing on cybersecurity issues, as well as continuing discussions on cooperation related to fraud and immigration enforcement, consistent with domestic laws and international obligations,” it said.NSA Doval also had a meeting with Canada’s Minister for Public Safety Gary Anandasangaree on Friday.The India-Canada relations hit rock bottom following then prime minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations in 2023 of a potential Indian link to the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.India had dismissed Trudeau’s accusation as “absurd”.In October 2024, India recalled its high commissioner and five other diplomats after Ottawa attempted to link them to the Nijjar case. India also expelled an equal number of Canadian diplomats.However, Liberal Party leader Carney’s victory in the parliamentary election in April last year helped in beginning the process to reset relations.Both sides have already posted their high commissioners in each other’s capitals.