What happened?
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and his new Canadian counterpart, Anita Anand, held their first phone conversation. The discussion focused on deepening bilateral economic ties and advancing shared priorities. Anand assumed charge as Canada’s foreign minister this month in Prime Minister Mark Carney’s new Cabinet. Carney’s election victory was seen as an opportunity to repair ties between India and Canada that came under severe strain during the prime ministership of Justin Trudeau. The ties were severely hit following Trudeau’s allegations in September 2023 regarding the “potential” involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, which New Delhi strongly rejected as “absurd”.
Why it matters to India
This initial conversation between the foreign ministers signals a potential positive shift in India-Canada relations, which had been under significant strain. Restoring trust and strengthening economic cooperation are vital for India, especially given the opportunities for trade and investment between the two countries. After Trudeau’s exit, New Delhi expressed hope to rebuild ties with Canada based on “mutual trust and sensitivity”.