External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar on Monday said that ties between India and Canada have been steadily progressing in recent months, with both nations working to restore the mechanisms required to advance their partnership.
In his opening remarks during a meeting with his Canadian counterpart, Anita Anand, in New Delhi, EAM Jaishankar reflected on the recent engagements between New Delhi and Ottawa, including discussions between National Security Advisers and trade ministers.
Welcoming Anand on her first visit to India as Canada’s Foreign Minister, Jaishankar said, “India-Canada bilateral relations have been steadily progressing in the last few months. We are working to restore and reinvigorate the mechanisms necessary to advance our partnership.”
He added, “As Prime Minister Modi noted during his meeting with Prime Minister Carney in Kananaskis, India’s approach is to move forward with a positive mindset. This morning, you met the Prime Minister. You have heard from him personally about our vision of cooperation and how best to realise it.”
Jaishankar referred to the “productive” meeting between National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and Canadian NSA Nathalie G. Drouin, calling it “an important first step towards enhancing our security cooperation.”
“Our foreign ministries, at the level of the secretary and deputy minister, also met on September 19 to review the overall relationship. Our trade ministers spoke recently on October 11. So, when we look at Canada, we see a complementary economy, another open society, diversity and pluralism. We believe that forms the basis for a close, sustainable, and long-term cooperative framework,” he said.
He added that India and Canada have drawn up an ambitious roadmap to strengthen cooperation across key sectors, including science and technology, civil nuclear collaboration, artificial intelligence, trade, and agriculture.
“I’m glad that the two high commissioners have assumed their responsibilities in our respective capitals and are part of today’s meeting. This is our high commissioner with whom you have spoken,” the EAM noted.
“Our responsibility as foreign ministers is to shepherd the process of rebuilding our cooperation and ensure that it delivers on the expectations of our prime ministers and the interests of our people. It means not only taking initiatives in our respective jurisdictions but also monitoring and integrating interactions across the entire breadth of government. I look forward to doing so, working closely with you, Minister,” Jaishankar said.
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He highlighted that both India and Canada share a strong tradition of active participation in world affairs, including the G20 and the Commonwealth.
“Our convergences in the Indo-Pacific are notable. We are strong proponents of effective multilateralism, climate action, and the SDG Agenda 2030. We seek to de-risk the international economy today by forging strong partnerships of growing range and depth. Your visit, Minister Anand, allows reviewing the global scenario and exchanging perspectives,” Jaishankar said.
The visit comes months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Canadian counterpart, Mark Carney, in June on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Canada’s Kananaskis for a crucial bilateral meeting aimed at reviving strained relations.
That meeting underscored the shared intent to reset the India-Canada relationship, which has faced strains in recent times.
The renewed engagement was followed by the appointments of new High Commissioners Christopher Cooter as Canada’s envoy to New Delhi, and Dinesh K. Patnaik as India’s High Commissioner to Ottawa.
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