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In a significant diplomatic move aimed at rebuilding strained relations, Canada’s Foreign Minister Anita Anand arrived in New Delhi on Sunday evening for her first visit to India as Foreign Minister. This visit marks a step forward in normalising India-Canada ties, which cooled two years ago following allegations surrounding the killing of pro-Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Anand is scheduled to meet India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday. Her arrival comes nearly four months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Canadian counterpart, Mark Carney, in Kananaskis, Canada, during the G7 leaders’ summit in June — a meeting that had hinted at a thaw in relations.
Before this visit, both nations reinstated their High Commissioners, who had been recalled amid the diplomatic tension last year. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated on X (formerly Twitter), “This visit will help build on the positive momentum in India-Canada relations by revitalising our bilateral mechanisms, deepening economic cooperation, and further strengthening the enduring people-to-people ties that anchor our partnership.”
New Delhi marks the first stop on Anand’s three-nation tour, which also includes China and Singapore. The Canadian government announced earlier that Anand’s trip, from October 12 to 17, is part of Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, aimed at strengthening regional partnerships.
During her stay in Delhi, Anand will discuss frameworks for strategic cooperation on trade diversification, energy transition, and security. She will also travel to Mumbai to meet Canadian and Indian business leaders to promote investment, job creation, and economic collaboration between the two nations.
Ahead of her tour, Anand said, “For Canada to be strong at home, we need strong, stable partnerships abroad. I am building bridges and increasing cooperation with India, Singapore, and China. In line with Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, I will work to position Canada as a trusted, reliable partner of choice for Indo-Pacific countries and their economies.”
