Looking forward to further rebuilding of bilateral ties: EAM after meeting Canadian counterpart

PTI | Ottawa

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and her Canadian counterpart Anita Anand on Wednesday reviewed India-Canada cooperation in areas of trade, energy, security and people-to-people ties as part of efforts to rebuild ties that came under serious strain following a diplomatic row two years ago.

At a meeting in Canada’s Niagara, the two foreign ministers also deliberated on the implementation of the ‘New Roadmap 2025’ that was firmed up last month during Anand’s visit to India.

Jaishankar is in Niagara to attend an outreach session with the G7 partner nations.

The external affairs minister also held separate bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Germany, France, Brazil and the UK. “Appreciated the progress in implementation of the New Roadmap 2025. Look forward to the further rebuilding of our bilateral partnership,” he said on social media after meeting the Canadian foreign minister.

Anand said she and Jaishankar discussed cooperation in areas of trade, energy, security, and people-to-people ties.

The outreach partner nations that Canada has invited for the G7 meeting include Australia, Brazil, India, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, South Korea, South Africa and Ukraine.

Jaishankar’s trip to Canada comes a month after Anand visited India, during which both sides unveiled the ambitious roadmap to boost ties in areas of trade, critical minerals and energy.

The India-Canada relations hit rock bottom following then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations in 2023 of a potential Indian link to the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India had dismissed Trudeau’s accusation as “absurd”.

In October last year, India recalled its high commissioner and five other diplomats after Ottawa attempted to link them to the Nijjar case. India also expelled an equal number of Canadian diplomats.

However, Liberal Party leader Carney’s victory in the parliamentary election in April helped in beginning the process to reset relations. Both sides have already posted their high commissioners in each other’s capitals.

On the margins of the G7 meeting, Jaishankar also held talks with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot. “Took stock of our Strategic Partnership. Discussed deepening our cooperation in multilateral and plurilateral formats,” the external affairs minister said on ‘X’.

Following his talks with Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira, Jaishankar said: “We are actively exploring opportunities for greater trade, investment, health and technology cooperation.” After meeting German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, the external affairs minister said the focus was on advancing the bilateral strategic partnership and India-EU ties.

Jaishankar said he and Wadephul also exchanged views on the situation in the Middle East, Indo-Pacific and Afghanistan.

On his meeting with British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, he said the positive momentum in India-UK relations was acknowledged.