India-Canada Relations Improving: S Jaishankar Meets Foreign Minister Anita Anand in Significant Diplomatic Engagement

Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed Canada's Foreign Minister Anita Anand in New Delhi on Monday, marking the highest-level diplomatic engagement since both nations agreed to reinstate their ambassadors following a period of significant tension.

Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, after Anand's meeting with PM Modi, stated: "India-Canada bilateral relations have been steadily progressing in the last few months."

Jaishankar emphasized the potential for cooperation, noting: "When we look at Canada, we see a complementary economy, we see another open society... that is the basis for a close, sustainable and long term cooperative framework."

The Foreign Minister also shared his opening remarks from the meeting on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

Diplomatic relations had severely deteriorated after Canadian authorities alleged Indian involvement in the 2023 assassination of a Canadian Sikh leader, allegations that India firmly rejected.

This diplomatic crisis significantly disrupted consular services and trade relations between the two countries, which had exchanged approximately $9 billion in goods and services during 2023.

Relations have shown improvement since Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney took office in March. Carney and Modi met on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit in Canada in June, where they agreed to appoint new high commissioners, the term used for ambassadors between Commonwealth nations. Both diplomatic representatives have now commenced their duties.

With U.S. President Donald Trump introducing significant changes to global trade policies, both India and Canada have demonstrated increased willingness to strengthen bilateral cooperation.

During her visit, Minister Anand is also scheduled to meet with Trade Minister Piyush Goyal and engage with business leaders in Mumbai, India's financial hub.

Canada hosts the largest Sikh diaspora outside India, including some advocates for "Khalistan," a separatist movement seeking an independent state for the Sikh religious minority.

Ottawa had previously accused India of orchestrating the 2023 killing in Vancouver of 45-year-old naturalized Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent Khalistan supporter, and targeting other Sikh activists associated with the movement.