New Delhi: India sees Canada as an “open society” with “diversity and pluralism” which is the “basis for a close” and “long-term” relationship, explained External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, while New Delhi and Ottawa pushed for deepening cooperation in strategic domains such as civil nuclear collaboration and mining. Jaishankar met Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand Monday in New Delhi.
India and Canada have also prepared a roadmap to advance cooperation across a number of strategic domains including technology, artificial intelligence, trade, civil nuclear collaboration and critical minerals.
The thrust of cooperation outlined by the roadmap is on minerals and energy, as the two sides have agreed that “trade is a cornerstone” for bilateral growth. The joint statement released after the meeting also highlighted that India-Canada ties will be based on upholding the principles of “sovereignty and territorial integrity”.
For India, the space given to Sikh separatists in Canada remains a major irritant. Sikh separatists have in the past held “Khalistan referendums” in Canada as they push for the carving of a new country from the Indian state of Punjab. However, last month the Canadian government designated the Lawrence Bishnoi gang as a ‘terrorist entity’ as it seeks to step up its own domestic security. India has repeatedly called on Ottawa to take action against transnational criminal organisations functioning on its soil.
“When we look at Canada, we see a complementary economy, we see another open society, we see diversity and pluralism, and we believe that that is the basis for a close, sustainable and long-term cooperative framework,” Jaishankar said in his opening remarks during the meeting with Anand. The Canadian foreign minister is in India on a three-day visit, and will depart Tuesday from Mumbai.
For almost two years, diplomatic ties cratered between India and Canada, following former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations that Indian officials were linked to the killing of designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Nijjar, an Indian, was killed outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, in June 2023.
The diplomatic fallout of Trudeau’s allegations—first made in September 2023—led to almost no serious engagement between the two governments at various levels. However, since Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the incumbent Prime Minister of Canada Mark Carney in June on the margins of the G7 summit in the Canadian province of Alberta, the relationship has seen a number of serious engagements at various levels. Anand called on Modi before the meeting with Jaishankar.
As part of rebuilding cooperation, India and Canada simultaneously appointed new High Commissioners in August. Between October 2024 and August 2025, the two countries did not maintain High Commissioners in their respective missions, as India withdrew its top diplomat in Ottawa, Sanjay Kumar Verma, and expelled the acting Canadian High Commissioner Stewart Wheeler.
The expulsion of Canadian diplomats from India and the withdrawal of Indian diplomats from Canada came after Ottawa requested New Delhi to waive diplomatic immunity for six of its diplomats. This deep freeze in ties was preceded with Ottawa also suspending negotiations for a trade deal in September 2023.
“Let me also say that both sides for our meeting today have prepared an ambitious roadmap to advance our cooperation in various domains, including trade, investment, agriculture, science and technology, civil nuclear collaboration, AI, critical minerals, and energy. I am glad that the two High Commissioners have assumed their responsibilities in our respective capitals and are part of today’s meeting,” said Jaishankar.
The push for renewing cooperation in trade comes as American President Donald J. Trump has upended the global trading regime. For Canada, the two-way trade with the US in both goods and services touched $909.1 billion in 2024. However, Trump has imposed tariffs on almost every country across the globe since assuming power earlier this year, which heavily impacts the Canadian economy.
The roadmap focuses on a number of strategic domains, which indicates the growing momentum to deepen engagement between the two governments. Last month, the National Security and Intelligence Adviser of Canada. Nathalie G. Drouin. met Indian counterpart Ajit Doval, while the two trade ministers spoke earlier this month—indicating the areas of interest for New Delhi and Ottawa.
“We seek to de-risk the international economy today by forging strong partnerships of growing range and depth,” said Jaishankar.
The India-Canada roadmap
The two sides have agreed to re-establish a number of bilateral mechanisms, including the ministerial-level discussions on trade and investment, re-establish the India-Canada Ministerial Energy Dialogue, establish an annual dialogue on critical minerals and relaunch the joint science and technology cooperation committee.
“Promote two-way trade for LNG & LPG and investment in oil and gas exploration & production sector, including clean technologies. Collaborate on sustainable low-carbon fuels and technologies—such as green hydrogen, biofuels, Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) and electric mobility—as well as strengthen supply chains, policy frameworks, and market access,” the joint statement said.
The statement added: “Welcome and appreciate ongoing discussions in civil nuclear cooperation in support of clean energy transitions. Welcome discussions between India’s Department of Atomic Energy and Canadian uranium suppliers, from the standpoint of existing and proposed new mines. Promote dialogue among government, industry, and thinktanks to identify how Canada’s mining expertise can provide India with critical minerals needed for energy security.”
India and Canada have pivoted to focus on substantive economic outcomes, while seemingly moving the irritants in ties to a mutually acceptable level for discussions. Since assuming power, Carney has pushed for greater cooperation between law enforcement agencies, indicating Ottawa’s willingness to move issues surrounding the killing of Nijjar to this level rather than one discussed between leaders as Trudeau sought to do during his tenure.
The Canadian Prime Minister also extended an invitation to Modi to attend the G7 summit, indicating Ottawa’s interest in fixing the ties between both countries at the political level. Apart from meeting the PM and Jaishankar, Anand will also meet Piyush Goyal, India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry before heading to Mumbai to interact with Indian and Canadian businesses.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
Also read: Carney is repairing what Trudeau left damaged. India and Canada are now on a path to reset ties