India and Canada Reset Ties After Year of Strain
NEW DELHI — India and Canada have taken decisive steps to restore diplomatic relations that collapsed after the 2023 killing of a Sikh separatist leader in Canada strained one of the world’s most important diaspora ties, according to BBC News.
Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand, on her first official visit to India, met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar in New Delhi over the weekend. The talks signaled what both sides called a “fresh beginning” after months of mistrust and suspended diplomatic exchanges.
Modi said Anand’s visit would “impart new momentum” to bilateral cooperation, while Jaishankar described the two countries as “complementary economies and open societies,” emphasizing diversity and pluralism as the foundation of a lasting partnership.
The thaw follows the election of Mark Carney as Canada’s new prime minister earlier this year, replacing Justin Trudeau, whose accusation that India was linked to the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar plunged relations to their lowest point in decades. Both nations had expelled senior diplomats and halted visa services in the aftermath.
During the meeting, the two sides agreed to revive ministerial-level trade talks and restart the Canada–India CEO Forum, designed to strengthen business and investment ties. Anand is also scheduled to meet Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal to explore trade opportunities before traveling to Mumbai to engage with industry leaders.
A joint statement said the renewed partnership would “enhance economic cooperation and mitigate vulnerabilities from shifting global alliances.”
Anand will continue her Indo-Pacific tour with stops in China and Singapore, underscoring Canada’s strategy to deepen engagement across Asia.
