New Delhi, June 18 : In a significant step towards mending strained ties, India and Canada have agreed to reinstate High Commissioners in each other’s capitals. The move follows a meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Canada.
The two leaders emphasized the importance of restarting senior ministerial and working-level engagements across various domains to rebuild trust and add momentum to the bilateral relationship. They also discussed the revival of the stalled trade negotiations.
Prime Minister Modi described their meeting as “excellent” in a post on X, stating that both countries are connected by a strong belief in democracy, freedom, and the rule of law.
“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, fertilizers, and more offer immense potential in this regard,” Modi said.
A joint readout of the meeting noted that this was the first in-person interaction between the two leaders since Carney assumed office following Canada’s recent general elections. The discussion provided an opportunity for frank and forward-looking talks on the state of bilateral ties and the way forward.
The leaders reaffirmed the importance of India-Canada relations, based on shared democratic values, the rule of law, and a commitment to sovereignty and territorial integrity. They agreed to take calibrated and constructive steps to restore stability in the relationship, beginning with the early return of High Commissioners.
They also discussed opportunities for future collaboration in areas such as clean energy, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, LNG, food security, critical minerals, higher education, mobility, and supply chain resilience. Both reaffirmed their shared interest in promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Crucially, the leaders agreed on the importance of restarting negotiations on the Early Progress Trade Agreement (EPTA), which could pave the way for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). Officials from both sides have been tasked with re-engaging on this front.
They acknowledged the progress made at the G7 Summit and expressed a shared willingness to collaborate on global priorities including climate action, inclusive growth, and sustainable development. They also recognized the deep people-to-people ties between the two countries and agreed to leverage this “living bridge” for mutual benefit.
The leaders agreed to stay in contact and looked forward to meeting again at the earliest opportunity.
Canadian Prime Minister Carney echoed the sentiments in his post on X:
“I met with Prime Minister Modi today at the @G7 Summit. We reaffirmed the importance of Canada-India ties, based upon mutual respect and the rule of law, and discussed opportunities to partner for economic growth.”
The Canadian readout highlighted the leaders’ agreement to designate new High Commissioners and return to regular services for citizens and businesses. It also mentioned discussions on the Indo-Pacific partnership, economic ties, energy transformation, and collaboration in areas like technology, food security, and critical minerals. Carney additionally raised G7 priorities such as transnational crime, security, and the rules-based international order.
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