Canadian FM Anita Anand to visit India next week
Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand is scheduled to visit India next week, marking her first official trip since taking office earlier this year, reports 24brussels. The visit occurs amid ongoing efforts to reset bilateral ties between India and Canada.
Prior to her trip, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar met with Anand on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on September 29. He characterized the meeting as productive, welcoming the appointment of high commissioners as a positive step toward rebuilding ties. Jaishankar expressed his anticipation for Anand’s visit, stating, “A good meeting with FM @AnitaAnandMP of Canada this morning in New York. The appointment of High Commissioners is welcome as we rebuild ties. Discussed further steps in that regard today. Look forward to welcoming FM Anand in India,” in a post on X.
This upcoming visit follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the G7 Summit in June, indicating a thaw in relations after more than two years of tension. Relations between India and Canada strained significantly in 2023 after then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India of involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India strongly denied these allegations, branding them politically motivated, and accused Ottawa of providing sanctuary to Khalistani militants.
In August, both nations reinstated their high commissioners, with India’s High Commissioner Dinesh Patnaik returning to Ottawa and Canada’s new High Commissioner Christopher Cooter taking office in Delhi. Last month, Canadian Deputy Foreign Minister David Morrison and National Security Advisor Nathalie G. Drouin visited New Delhi for talks with Indian officials, agreeing to resume critical dialogues that had been stalled during Trudeau’s administration and restore diplomatic staffing levels.
Additionally, India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval engaged in extensive discussions with his Canadian counterpart Nathalie Drouin, focusing on restoring stability and rebuilding trust between the two nations after prolonged diplomatic strains. The momentum for this bilateral reset accelerated with Cooter’s appointment as Canada’s High Commissioner, filling a vacancy that had remained since October 2023, and the recommencement of national security-level talks in New Delhi.
