Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has highlighted the tangible "progress" his government has achieved in rebuilding relations with India, describing it as a cornerstone of Canada’s strategy to reduce economic reliance on the United States.

Speaking to reporters in Gyeongju, South Korea, on Saturday, Carney said the renewed engagement with India is already producing encouraging results.

He explained that Foreign Minister Anita Anand and several cabinet colleagues have maintained substantive discussions with their Indian counterparts to consolidate this diplomatic and economic realignment. The Canadian approach, Carney said, combines domestic growth measures with a drive to forge durable partnerships abroad.

The Prime Minister’s Office issued a statement underlining the government’s ambition to double non‑US exports within the next decade. It described the Indo‑Pacific region as central to this goal, offering vast opportunities for Canadian businesses and professionals seeking diversified markets.

Carney asserted that Canada must “play to win” in the Indo‑Pacific, signalling a proactive shift in trade diplomacy. His administration views India as a critical counterpart in advancing Canada’s commercial, technological, and supply‑chain interests across the region.

The diversification effort follows escalating tariffs and trade frictions with Washington, prompting Ottawa to seek more balanced external partnerships. India’s expanding economy and consumer market, Carney noted, present one of the most promising avenues for new investments and export growth.

Since assuming office in March 2025, Carney has pursued a systematic reset of Canada–India ties, which had deteriorated under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Relations reached a nadir in 2023 after Trudeau’s allegations linking Indian agents to the killing of pro‑Khalistan activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar—claims strongly rejected by New Delhi as “absurd and motivated.”

Tensions escalated further when diplomatic expulsions followed reciprocal immunity disputes later that year. However, the thaw began after Carney’s meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G7 Summit in Kananaskis this June. Both sides subsequently restored their high commissioners, reopening regular diplomatic channels.

The progress has continued through a series of senior‑level visits. Foreign Minister Anita Anand’s October trip to India included meetings with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, focusing on trade frameworks and investment facilitation. Simultaneously, Goyal held talks with Canada’s Minister of International Trade, Maninder Sidhu, to advance sector‑specific collaborations.

Further bilateral visits are scheduled in the coming months to sustain the momentum. New Delhi has also extended an invitation to Prime Minister Carney to attend the AI Impact Summit in February 2026, signalling India’s readiness to deepen strategic engagement with the new Canadian administration.

Based On ANI Report