NEW DELHI: External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar is set to visit Canada next week, less than a month after Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand’s two-day trip to New Delhi.
The visit comes at a critical time, as both countries rebuild ties after a low point during 2023–24 under former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Jaishankar will attend the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Ontario’s Niagara Region on November 11–12, where discussions will focus on global security, economic resilience, and international cooperation.
Canada, which currently holds the G7 presidency, is hosting the gathering for the second time this year.
“The meeting will bring together G7 ministers to discuss global challenges and strengthen international collaboration,” Canada’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
Though India is not a member of the G-7, the country has become a regular invitee at the gathering.
The renewed diplomatic engagement follows a series of high-level exchanges since Prime Minister Mark Carney took office earlier this year.
Carney’s meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in June laid the groundwork for a gradual rapprochement in the strained ties.
Both leaders had directed their governments to “take calibrated measures to restore stability in the relationship” and to pursue a partnership “grounded in mutual respect and shared interests,” an External Affairs Ministry readout had said.
Since then, diplomatic activity has accelerated. Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand’s visit to India in October included meetings with both Modi and Jaishankar, while national security advisers from both nations have also been in dialogue.
New Delhi and Ottawa reinstated their high commissioners in August, restoring full diplomatic representation after a year of turbulence.
Under Trudeau, bilateral relations were strained due to Ottawa’s perceived tolerance of pro-Khalistan activities on Canadian soil-- an issue that New Delhi repeatedly flagged as interference in its internal affairs.
Carney’s leadership, however, has ushered in a more pragmatic tone, prioritising economic collaboration and strategic engagement.
The potential areas of cooperation include clean energy, critical minerals, artificial intelligence, LNG, food security, higher education, mobility, and supply chain resilience.
Jaishankar’s upcoming visit, therefore, is being viewed as an important next step in translating the thaw into concrete next steps