Rebuilding frayed ties

The outcomes of Mark Carney’s New Delhi visit point to a welcome rebound in India-Canada relations

The process of resetting India-Canada relations, which began with PM Narendra Modi’s meeting with his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney in June last year, has entered a new phase of consolidation. Carney’s visit to New Delhi this week culminated in the signing of crucial agreements for cooperation in the mining and processing of rare earth minerals and long-term supply of uranium ore to fuel India’s nuclear reactors. In line with Carney’s call at the World Economic Forum for “middle powers” to come together to forge a new path in the face of great power hegemony, there was talk by the two sides of using trade and investments to shore up the rules-based order and to deepen security cooperation. The agreement on the supply of uranium ore marks a significant turning point since India had used plutonium derived from a reactor supplied by Canada for its first atomic test in 1974. The new Strategic Energy Partnership, which covers nuclear, LNG, solar and hydrogen, could play a key role in meeting India’s growing energy needs in view of Canada’s extensive gas and uranium reserves.

Modi’s and Carney’s remarks made it clear that both countries are determined to put the diplomatic rows of the past behind them as they focus on concluding a free trade agreement by the end of this year. (Arvind Yadav/HT Photo)

Modi’s and Carney’s remarks made it clear that both countries are determined to put the diplomatic row — triggered by former PM Justin Trudeau’s comments about the killing of a Khalistani separatist in Canada in 2023 — behind them as they focus on concluding a free trade agreement by the end of this year and put in place new measures such as a defence dialogue to support maritime security cooperation and stability in the Indo-Pacific. In that context, Carney’s visit and the rebound in India-Canada relations marked a moment of sanity amid widespread chaos on the global stage.

However, the shadow of the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar still hangs over the relationship, with leaks from the Canadian side leading to a media report that linked two Indian officials to the episode on the very day that Modi and Carney met. The two sides have decided to isolate such matters from the overall relationship by keeping them firmly within the purview of a security dialogue. More disclosures should be expected when the trial in the case begins later this year. New Delhi and Ottawa will do well to ensure there are adequate guardrails to cope with any further developments. The focus should remain on the more transformative aspects of the relationship, including trade and strategic cooperation.