India-Canada Relations Expected To Hit 'Reset' With PM Mark Carney's First Visit On Friday

2026-02-26 02:20:42

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Relations between India and Canada, which had nosedived since September 2023, are expected to get a boost with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's maiden visit to India on Friday.

India is the first stop for Carney on his three-nation tour, which also includes Australia and Japan. He will arrive in Mumbai on February 27, and over the next two days, will participate in business engagements with Indian and Canadian CEOs, industry and financial experts, innovators, amd educators, as well as Canadian Pension Funds based in India.

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The Canadian premier, who is facing intense pressure from US President Donald Trump, said his government is focused on“what we can control in a divided and uncertain world.”

"We are diversifying our trade and attracting massive new investment to create new opportunities for our workers and businesses. We are forging new partnerships abroad to create greater certainty, security and prosperity at home,” Carney said before embarking on his long journey.

Referring to Carney's visit, the Indian prime minister's office said:“The visit comes at an important juncture in the normalisation of India-Canada bilateral relations. The two Prime Ministers have earlier agreed to pursue a constructive and balanced partnership grounded in mutual respect for each other's concerns and sensitivities, strong people-to-people ties, and growing economic complementarities."

Interestingly, just before Carney began his trip, his government clarified that India was no longer linked to violent crimes in Canada. And the Canadian premier, in a major shift from his predecessor, has also not included a visit to Punjab (a large number of Sikhs and others from the state live in Canada).

Relations between India and Canada deteriorated when Justin Trudeau, the previous premier, was seen linking India with attacks on Sikhs in his country, notably, the killing of alleged Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

In October 2024, the Trudeau government accused Indian officials of being associated with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and its criminal activities. While India denied the charges, Canada declared India's high commissioner and other diplomats as 'persona non grata,' which was followed by Delhi's retaliation.

Carney, however, has gone about mending ties with India. He has met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi twice. And earlier this month, Canada revoked the citizenship of Tahawwur Rana, a Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist and the key accused in the 26/11 Mumbai attack.

The Canadian premier began mending ties with India by personally inviting Modi to the G7summit in Kananaskis in June and meeting him in Johannesburg in November. The two countries also agreed to restore high commissioners and resume talks on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (Cepa). The two leaders have set a $50 billion bilateral trade target for 2030.

"India is a powerhouse economy and a central actor in the Indo-Pacific," a senior Canadian government official was quoted in the media. "Deepening this partnership is essential for Canada's long-term prosperity and security."