After PM Modi’s meeting with Mark Carney, India, Canada agree to reinstate high commissioners
India-Canada Relations: In what was described as a “positive” meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian PM Mark Carney at the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, the two leaders “agreed to take calibrated steps to restore stability to the relationship” and decided to restore High Commissioners to each other’s capitals.
They also agreed to resume senior-level dialogues on trade, people-to-people contact, and connectivity. They also decided that the trade negotiations — that were paused — will be taken up soon.
Canadian Prime Minister Carney raised the issue of “transnational crime and repression”, security, and the rules-based order.
Both countries also planned to collaborate on clean energy, technology, digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence (AI), food security, and critical minerals. The leaders agreed to stay in touch and meet again soon to further strengthen their ties.
After the meeting, PM Modi said, “Had an excellent meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney. Complimented him and the Canadian Government for successfully hosting the G7 Summit. India and Canada are connected by a strong belief in democracy, freedom and rule of law. PM Carney and I look forward to working closely to add momentum to the India-Canada friendship. Areas like trade, energy, space, clean energy, critical minerals, fertilisers and more offer immense potential in this regard.”
Before the talks, Carney had told Modi, “India has been coming to the G7 since 2019 and it’s a testament to the importance of your country, to your leadership, and to the importance that we look to tackle together, from energy security, from the energy transition that you’re helping to lead, to the future of artificial intelligence, to the fight that we have against transnational repression, against terrorism… and it’s my great honour to have you here.”
Following the talks, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri gave a readout of the meeting, stating that the two leaders had a “very positive and constructive” meeting on the sidelines of the Summit.
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“The meeting discussed the importance of the India-Canada relationship, which is based on shared values, democracy and the rule of law, people to people contact… the Prime Ministers agreed to take calibrated steps to restore stability to this very important relationship, and the first of these steps that was agreed on was to restore High Commissioners to each other’s capitals at an early date. Diplomatic steps will follow in due course,” Misri said.
He added: “The two prime ministers also agreed to resume senior level mechanisms and discussions in a host of areas related to trade, to people, to people, contact and connectivity, all of them intended to bring greater momentum to the relationship.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Canadian PM Mark Carney during his meeting in Kananaskis. (Photo: X/@narendramodi)
“The two leaders also discussed collaboration in a host of issues related to clean energy, clean technology, digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence, food security, critical minerals and supply chains,” the Foreign Secretary informed. “In view of the trade negotiations between two countries that are currently paused, the two leaders also decided to instruct their officials to take it up at an early date.”
The Canadian Prime Minister’s Office, too, issued a statement regarding the meeting. “Prime Minister Carney and Prime Minister Modi reaffirmed the importance of Canada-India ties, based upon mutual respect, the rule of law, and a commitment to the principle of sovereignty and territorial integrity. The leaders agreed to designate new high commissioners, with a view to returning to regular services to citizens and businesses in both countries,” it read.
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“They discussed strong and historic ties between our peoples, partnerships in the Indo-Pacific, and significant commercial links between Canada and India – including partnerships in economic growth, supply chains, and the energy transformation. Prime Minister Carney raised priorities on the G7 agenda, including transnational crime and repression, security, and the rules-based order,” the statement added.
“The leaders also discussed opportunities to deepen engagement in areas such as technology, the digital transition, food security, and critical minerals,” it said.
This is Modi’s first visit to Canada in a decade, and since the 2023 allegations of Indian involvement in the killing of pro-Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar which Delhi had rejected as “absurd” and “motivated”. However, the allegations had led to a downgrade of the ties between the two nations.
