Title: Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Visits India After Two Years

OTTAWA - Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand is visiting India, marking the first trip by a Canadian cabinet minister in two years amid diplomatic tensions. Anand is scheduled to address the media after her meeting with Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in New Delhi. She also plans to meet with business leaders in Mumbai.

On Monday, Anand met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a statement, she emphasized the importance of building on the momentum from Modi's visit to Canada during the G7 summit earlier this summer, where he met with Prime Minister Mark Carney.

Anand and Jaishankar released a joint statement outlining a roadmap for a stronger trade partnership between Canada and India. This initiative aims to revive discussions that have been inconsistent since 2010. The two ministers stated that their meeting in New Delhi continues the dialogue from earlier this summer and aims to “take calibrated measures to restore stability in the relationship.”

They highlighted the necessity of a “strong and resilient Canada-India bilateral relationship” in light of ongoing economic uncertainties and rising geopolitical tensions. Anand's meeting with Modi, along with Carney's discussions with his Indian counterpart at the G7, signals a potential thaw in relations between the two nations.

Tensions escalated in September 2023 when the Liberal government accused India of involvement in the assassination of a Sikh activist near Vancouver. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) subsequently accused India of engaging in widespread criminal activities in Canada. However, relations began to improve slightly in June when Carney invited Modi to the G7 summit in Alberta, leading both countries to agree to restore their top diplomats.

During her visit, Anand also met with Indian Trade Minister Piyush Goyal. Goyal described their discussion as “productive,” and noted that he had met with Canadian Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu the previous Saturday. Sidhu mentioned potential collaboration between the two countries in areas such as clean technology, agriculture, and critical minerals. Goyal emphasized that trade and investment should be based on “mutual respect, trust, and balance.”

Both nations have agreed to engage in closed-door talks regarding security concerns. Canadian officials have indicated that these discussions are making progress in addressing issues related to transnational repression without allowing them to dominate the relationship.

A briefing binder prepared by Global Affairs Canada in May noted that India has contributed to challenges in the global trading order, particularly concerning World Trade Organization rules. The binder stated, "Negotiations of major interest such as agriculture have long been stalemated. A handful of obstructive members, led by India, routinely block outcomes negotiated and desired by most members."