Opinion by Editorial
With PM-elect Mark Carney, Delhi and Ottawa have an opportunity to reset their relationship after recent turbulence
India and Canada have a lot to benefit from an enduring bilateral partnership, not least in key sectors such as pharmaceuticals, agri-tech, energy, and climate change mitigation.
Mar 13, 2025 07:57 IST First published on: Mar 13, 2025 at 06:53 IST
With Justin Trudeau stepping down as prime minister and Mark Carney taking his place, India and Canada have an opportunity to reset their relationship after recent turbulence. Despite last year’s diplomatic fallout triggered by Trudeau’s accusations that India had violated Canada’s sovereignty in the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, bilateral trade has continued to grow, as has migration from India to Canada. A primary obstacle to stronger ties was Trudeau’s foreign policy towards India, heavily influenced by domestic political considerations as he played to the extremist fringe of the Sikh diaspora and relied on the support of Jagmeet Singh’s National Democratic Party. Carney’s leadership offers both nations a crucial chance to mend fences.
Canada has become an outlier among India’s steadily strengthening partnerships with other Anglosphere nations, such as Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the US. However, Canadian leaders across the political spectrum recognise the strategic and economic importance of fostering closer ties with India. Carney, an economist and former central bank governor, has already signalled his intention to “rebuild” relations. India, meanwhile, is also signalling its willingness to engage with Carney’s administration – it is considering restoring its high commissioner to Canada. In a further sign of diplomatic movement, Canada’s spy chief, Daniel Rogers, is scheduled to visit India next week for a global intelligence conference. Both these developments bode well for a long overdue détente. While the Khalistan issue will not be resolved overnight, Canada’s new government should ensure improved communication and cooperation, while respecting India’s security concerns.
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India and Canada have a lot to benefit from an enduring bilateral partnership, not least in key sectors such as pharmaceuticals, agri-tech, energy, and climate change mitigation. A renewed diplomatic push could also revive negotiations for the stalled Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. In 2022, Canada recognised India as a critical regional partner in its Indo-Pacific Policy document, emphasising their shared goal of countering China’s growing influence. Given the economic, strategic, and diasporic ties between India and Canada, the deteriorating relationship in the last one-and-a-half years was indeed a cause for great concern. A reset in ties with India may even help Carney to navigate his greatest challenge before the election later this year. US President Donald Trump has openly expressed expansionist ambitions and imposed a series of tariffs, and in response, Canada is set to impose counter-tariffs, setting the stage for intensifying tensions with its southern neighbour and traditional ally.
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