EAM Jaishankar meets counterpart Anita Anand; says India, Canada working to advance ties

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said India-Canada relations have been steadily progressing, with both nations working to rebuild trust and restore cooperation across key sectors, including security, technology, trade, and climate action, following high-level engagements between their leaders and ministers

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar said on Monday that the ties between India and Canada have been steadily progressing in the past few months, and the two nations are working to restore the mechanisms necessary to advance the partnership.

In his opening remarks during his meeting with his Canadian counterpart, Anita Anand, in New Delhi, EAM Jaishankar recalled the recent engagements between New Delhi and Ottawa, including meetings between National Security Advisers and trade ministers.

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Welcoming Anand on her first visit to India as Canada’s Foreign Minister, Jaishankar said, “India-Canada bilateral relations have been steadily progressing in the last few months. We are working to restore and reinvigorate the mechanisms necessary to advance our partnership.”

“As Prime Minister Modi noted during his meeting with Prime Minister Carney in Kananaskis, India’s approach is to move forward with a positive mindset. This morning, you met the Prime Minister. You have heard from him personally about our vision of cooperation and how best to realise it,” he added.

He also recalled the “productive” meeting between National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and Canadian NSA Nathalie G Drouin, calling it “an important first step towards enhancing our security cooperation.”

“Our Foreign Ministries at the level of the secretary of the Deputy Minister also met on September 19 to review the overall relationship. Our Trade Ministers spoke recently on October 11. So, when we look at Canada, we see a complementary economy, we see another open society, we see diversity and pluralism, and we believe that that is the basis for a close, sustainable, and long-term cooperative framework,” he added.

He noted that India and Canada have prepared an ambitious roadmap to advance cooperation in various sectors, including science and technology, civil nuclear collaboration, AI, trade, and agriculture.

“I’m glad that the two high commissioners have assumed their responsibilities in our respective capitals and are part of today’s meeting. This is our high commissioner with whom you have spoken,” the EAM added.

“Our responsibility as foreign ministers is to shepherd the process of rebuilding our cooperation and to ensure that it delivers on the expectations of our prime ministers and the interests of our people. It means not only taking initiatives in our particular jurisdiction, but also monitoring and integrating interactions across the entire breadth of the government. I look forward to doing so, working closely with you, Minister,” he added.

Jaishankar stressed that India and Canada have a tradition of being active in world affairs, including the G20 and the Commonwealth. “Our convergences in the Indo-Pacific are notable. We are strong proponents of effective multilateralism, climate action, and the SDG Agenda 2030. We seek to de-risk the international economy today by forging strong partnerships of growing range and depth. Your visit, Minister Anand, allows reviewing the global scenario and exchanging perspectives,” he said.

The visit comes months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney in June on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Canada’s Kananaskis for a crucial bilateral meeting aimed at reviving strained relations.

The meeting underscored the shared intent to reset the India-Canada relationship, which has faced recent tensions. This renewed engagement was followed by the appointments of new High Commissioners — Christopher Cooter as Canada’s envoy to New Delhi, and Dinesh K Patnaik as India’s High Commissioner to Ottawa. IANS