‘Positive momentum in ties’: Indian envoy meets Canadian minister amid strengthening bilateral relations

INdia and Canada ar looking for forward to maintaining the “ positive degree impulse” in the relationship while continuing the “close engagement” that has emerged in recent months.That affirmation of the current state of bilateral ties came as India’s High Commissioner to Ottawa Dinesh Patnaik met Canada’s Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Arun Thangaraj in Ottawa on Friday.Thangaraj was recently appointed to the position, as the senior most official in Global Affairs Canada, the country’s foreign minister, equivalent to the Foreign Secretary in India’s Ministry of External Affairs. Thangaraj replaced David Morrison who has taken over as Senior Diplomatic and International Affairs Advisor to the Prime Minister.In a statement after the meeting, India’s High Commission in Ottawa said they met to “review the full spectrum of India–Canada relations” and “discussed progress on key initiatives and outcomes announced during Prime Minister (Mark) Carney’s recent visit to India, including strengthening economic cooperation, deepening people-to-people ties, and enhancing collaboration in priority sectors.”“Both sides agreed to maintain the positive momentum and continue close engagement,” it added.Carney’s visit to India culminated with his bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which resulted in several outcomes including the launch of negotiations towards a comprehensive economic partnership agreement or CEPA between the two countries.Those negotiations are in progress as the two sides attempt to complete the process by the end of the year, as envisaged by the two PMs.Trade ties are expected to get a further boost a Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal visits Canada next month, and he will bring along a large business delegation.Relations between Canada and India cratered on September 18, 2023, when then Canadian PM Justin Trudeau stated in the House of Commons there were “credible allegations” of a potential link between Indian agents and the killing of pro-Khalistan figure Hardeep Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia, three months earlier. India dismissed those accusations as “absurd” and “motivated.”A reset in relations came after Carney assumed charge as PM in March 2025. He invited Modi to the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Kananaskis in June last year. They met again in November on the margins of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg before Carney’s visit to India earlier this year.