Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand Visits India in Bid to Reset Strained Bilateral Ties
New Delhi — Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand arrived in New Delhi on Sunday evening for a three-day official visit aimed at mending diplomatic relations between India and Canada, which have been severely strained over the past two years.
The visit, taking place from October 12-14, 2025, marks Minister Anand’s first official trip to India since assuming her portfolio in May 2025 and represents a significant attempt by both nations to chart a new course following a period of unprecedented tension in their bilateral relationship.
Diplomatic Thaw After Period of Crisis
Relations between India and Canada plummeted in September 2023 when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau publicly alleged Indian government involvement in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian Sikh activist designated as a terrorist by India. The accusation triggered a diplomatic crisis that saw both countries expelling diplomats and trade negotiations being suspended.
Minister Anand’s visit is being viewed as a crucial step towards normalising relations, with both sides emphasising the need for a “forward-looking roadmap” built on mutual respect and renewed engagement.
High-Stakes Meetings with Indian Leadership
On Monday, Minister Anand held a series of intensive meetings with India’s top leadership. Her day began with talks with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, where both ministers conducted a comprehensive review of bilateral relations and discussed pathways to restore cooperation.
“This visit represents an important opportunity to rebuild trust and move our relationship forward,” Jaishankar said in his opening remarks, signalling India’s willingness to engage constructively with its Canadian counterpart.
The highlight of the day came when Anand met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with discussions focusing on trade, technology, clean energy, agriculture, and people-to-people exchanges. Following the meeting, PM Modi posted on X (formerly Twitter), emphasising that the partnership is aimed at “mutual growth and prosperity.”
Later in the day, Anand met with Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal at Vanijya Bhawan, where both sides agreed to re-establish the Canada-India CEO Forum, a key platform for business dialogue that had been suspended during the diplomatic row.
Economic Cooperation Takes Centre Stage
Despite the political tensions, both nations recognise the significant economic potential of their relationship. Canada and India have substantial diaspora connections, with over 1.8 million people of Indian origin living in Canada, creating strong people-to-people ties and business linkages.
The decision to revive ministerial-level trade and investment talks signals both countries’ commitment to separating economic cooperation from political differences. Areas identified for enhanced collaboration include trade, investment, technology, clean energy, agriculture, and security cooperation.
A joint statement issued during the visit emphasised that the partnership would create “new opportunities for economic cooperation and build resilience in global alliances,” whilst also contributing to efforts to “de-risk” the global economy — a reference to diversifying supply chains and reducing dependencies.
Difficult Issues on the Agenda
Whilst economic cooperation dominated the public messaging, sensitive security issues were also discussed behind closed doors. These include concerns about extremism, communal tensions, and recent attacks on Hindu temples in Canada, which have sparked outrage in India.
The Khalistan issue — support among some segments of Canada’s Sikh diaspora for a separate Sikh homeland in India — remains a particular point of friction. India has consistently accused Canada of providing safe haven to Sikh separatists, whilst Canada maintains it upholds freedom of expression whilst opposing violence.
However, neither side announced specific agreements on these contentious matters, suggesting that rebuilding trust will be a gradual process requiring continued dialogue.
Part of Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy
Minister Anand’s visit forms part of Canada’s broader Indo-Pacific Strategy, which aims to deepen engagement with the region both economically and strategically. India is viewed as a key partner in this framework, given its economic dynamism, strategic location, and shared democratic values.
Following her Delhi engagements, Anand travelled to Mumbai on Monday evening for business meetings before continuing her Asian tour with stops in China and Singapore, underscoring Canada’s commitment to comprehensive regional engagement.
A Cautious New Beginning
Whilst both sides struck an optimistic tone about the future, observers note that the path to fully normalised relations remains challenging. The fundamental disagreements that triggered the 2023 crisis have not been fully resolved, and domestic political pressures in both countries could complicate efforts at reconciliation.
Nevertheless, the visit represents a pragmatic recognition by both governments that their countries have too much at stake — economically, strategically, and in terms of people-to-people ties — to allow the relationship to remain in crisis mode indefinitely.
As Minister Anand concluded her Delhi leg on Monday evening, both nations appeared committed to what they termed a “renewed engagement” — a carefully calibrated phrase that acknowledges past difficulties whilst expressing determination to move forward.
Whether this visit marks a genuine turning point or merely a temporary pause in tensions remains to be seen, but for now, both India and Canada seem willing to give diplomacy another chance.