Foreign ministers of India, Canada hold talks on Indo-Pacific strategy, G20 meet
Canadian officials are also optimistic about an Early Progress Trade Agreement (EPTA ) with India being formalised next year, even as negotiations continue on the pact
Toronto: The foreign ministers of India and Canada held talks on Sunday, focusing on growing the relationship as envisaged in the latter’s Indo-Pacific Strategy unveiled recently, as well as cooperation in ensuring success of G20 events.
Canadian foreign minister Mélanie Joly tweeted that during her conversation with Indian external affairs minister S Jaishankar, they discussed the new Indo-Pacific Strategy which was released last month. As the same time, they also spoke about how New Delhi and Ottawa “plan to work together to strengthen our people-to-people ties and advance our shared interests as India chairs the G20 next year”.
In his response, Jaishankar said they spoke about “enhancing our bilateral cooperation and promoting people to people ties.”
He added they also “exchanged views on the Indo-Pacific and how Canada’s new strategy can contribute to our relationship.”
The two ministers had met in person over the summer on the margins of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2022 in Kigali, Rwanda.
Canadian officials are hopeful of a change in the trajectory of ties as senior Cabinet ministers, including Joly, may visit India in 2023 and hold bilateral meetings with their Indian counterparts on the margins of various sectoral verticals of the G20, culminating in Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s return to India, for the first time since a forgettable trip in February 2018.
They are also optimistic about an Early Progress Trade Agreement (EPTA) being formalised next year, even as negotiations continue on the pact.
For now, Canada has placed its Indo-Pacific Strategy at the centre of its engagement with the region, with India being of particular importance. The strategy notes, “India’s strategic importance and leadership - both across the region and globally - will only increase as India - the world’s biggest democracy - becomes the most populous country in the world and continues to grow its economy. Canada will seek new opportunities to partner and engage in dialogue in areas of common interest and values, including security and the promotion of democracy, pluralism and human rights.”
Groups operating in the Indo-Canadian space had welcomed that positive focus, as the Canada India Foundation’s chair Satish Thakkar stated, in a release, “As an organisation that actively supports and advocates for a deep engagement with India, we are delighted at the direction that this document gives to all interested in seeing this relationship thrive.”