India-Canada reset: Both nations keen on pragmatic engagement

INDIA and Canada — both vibrant democracies — have decided to draw up a “shared work plan” on national security and law enforcement. This is a laudable attempt to repair a relationship that has been under strain in recent years. National Security Adviser Ajit Doval’s visit to Ottawa — his first since the diplomatic clash over the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar — signals that both sides are willing to move from recrimination to pragmatic engagement. The agreement to establish security and law enforcement liaison officers in each other’s countries is quite significant. Such institutional links are not symbolic gestures; they are the nuts and bolts of modern-day security cooperation. Streamlined communication channels and timely information-sharing are essential when dealing with transnational gangs and drug trafficking networks — threats that respect no borders and demand coordinated responses. Equally important is the emphasis on cybersecurity, fraud and immigration enforcement.

The upswing in bilateral ties is heartening. Relations between New Delhi and Ottawa hit rock bottom in 2023-24 after Canada flagged a potential Indian link to Nijjar’s murder — charges India dismissed as “absurd.” The fallout led to diplomatic expulsions and a freeze in high-level engagement. The return of high commissioners and the resumption of ministerial talks over the past year have laid the groundwork for the current reset.

Doval’s trip, ahead of Canadian PM Mark Carney’s expected visit to India, fits squarely into this gradual thaw. However, the recalibration of relations needs to be sustained. Mutual trust is a must when sensitive intelligence and law enforcement data are involved. If managed carefully, the renewed dialogue could become a stabilising anchor. For India and Canada, the message is clear: prolonged standoffs are detrimental to strategic interests. Shared security concerns should leave no room for political wrangling.