India, Canada to restore high commissioners; re-start trade talks

Ending the recent acrimony, India and Canada have announced restoration of high commissioners to each other's capitals, and agreed to re-start stalled negotiations on the Early Progress Trade Agreement (EPTA) and the need to direct cooperation on trans-national law-enforcement issues.

The two sides announced these “calibrated steps” after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney had a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G7 meeting in Canada.

Modi posted on X, “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.”

The Ministry of External Affairs released details of the meeting on Wednesday morning.

“Both sides agreed to take calibrated and constructive steps to restore stability in the relationship, beginning with the early return of high commissioners to each other’s capitals,” a statement said.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, “Other diplomatic steps will follow in due course.”

A Canadian statement said, “The leaders agreed to designate new high commissioners, with a view to returning to regular services to citizens and businesses in both countries.”

The two countries had in October last year expelled each other’s diplomats amid a raging spat after Canada accused India of having staged the killing of Khalistani Hardip Nijjar.

Modi and Carney also tasked officials to re-start the stalled negotiations on the Early Progress Trade Agreement, which is to pave the way for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, the MEA said.

The two sides will also restart senior ministerial as well as working-level engagements across various domains to rebuild trust and bring momentum to the relationship.

Misri described the scope of these working-level engagements, saying these will be in “trade, people-to-people contact, connectivity and collaboration in key areas like cooperating on clean energy and technology initiatives, collaborating on digital infrastructure projects, exploring opportunities for cooperation in artificial intelligence and discussing potential collaboration on food security and critical minerals”.

This was the first in-person interaction between the two leaders since Carney assumed office.

Misri said “it marked a positive step towards reviving India-Canada relations with a focus on multiple strategic areas and renewed diplomatic engagement”.

Modi and Carney discussed potential collaboration in a host of issues related to clean energy, clean technology, digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence, food security, critical minerals and supply chains, Misri said.

The Canadian statement said, “Carney and 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.”