Canadian Prime Minister Carney Begins India Visit Aimed at Resetting Bilateral Ties
OTTAWA, Canada — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to begin an official visit to India on Thursday, a trip widely seen as a reset in bilateral relations following a period of diplomatic strain under the previous Canadian administration.
The visit will be the first by a Canadian prime minister since relations cooled, signaling a renewed effort to stabilize and strengthen diplomatic, economic, and strategic engagement between the two countries.
According to a statement from the Canadian Prime Minister’s Office, Carney will start his India tour in Mumbai, where he is scheduled to meet senior business leaders. He will then travel to New Delhi for high-level talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 2.
“The leaders will focus on elevating and expanding the Canada-India relationship, with ambitious new partnerships in trade, energy, technology and artificial intelligence, talent and culture, and defence,” the statement said. Carney is also expected to engage with business leaders to identify investment opportunities in Canada and promote new partnerships between companies in both countries.
The statement highlighted Canada’s economic strengths, noting its abundant energy resources, critical minerals, technological expertise, and skilled workforce. It said Canada is seeking to diversify trade and expand global connections amid a changing international environment.
The Canadian government underscored India’s role as the world’s fastest-growing major economy and a major force in global commerce and technology. India was Canada’s seventh-largest trading partner in goods and services in 2024, with two-way trade totaling $30.8 billion.
Prime Minister Modi met Carney on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg last November, where Modi said both countries had set a target of reaching $50 billion in bilateral trade by 2030. He also noted strong interest from Canadian pension funds in Indian companies.
“We have set a target of 50 billion USD by 2030 for our bilateral trade. Canadian Pension Funds are also showing keen interest in Indian companies,” Modi said at the time.
Earlier this month, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand met External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar during the Munich Security Conference in Germany. In a subsequent press release, the Canadian government said the meeting marked the fifth engagement between the two ministers since September 2025, reflecting growing momentum in bilateral ties.
The ministers discussed deepening cooperation in areas including energy, technology, and trade, while reaffirming the importance of India as a key partner for Canada amid India’s expanding global role.
Both sides also noted progress on the joint road map for Canada-India relations and reiterated their commitment to implementing its priorities, expanding trade, and strengthening economic resilience.
Jaishankar later said he had a productive conversation with his Canadian counterpart and that discussions focused on further strengthening ties across multiple sectors.
After concluding his engagements in India, Carney is scheduled to travel to Australia and then Japan as part of a broader diplomatic outreach across the Indo-Pacific region. (Source: IANS)
