Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney Launches First Official Visit to India
MUMBAI — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived in Mumbai on Friday, marking his first official visit to India and signaling a renewed effort to strengthen bilateral ties after a period of diplomatic strain.
Carney, accompanied by his wife, Diana Fox Carney, was received at the airport by Maharashtra’s Minister of Protocol and Marketing, Jaykumar Rawal. The visit is the first by a Canadian prime minister to India since relations cooled under the previous administration led by Justin Trudeau.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described the trip as an important step forward. “A warm welcome to Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada as he arrives in Mumbai on his first Official Visit to India. The visit marks a significant step in further strengthening India–Canada ties,” Jaiswal posted on X. He added that the partnership between the two countries is “anchored in shared democratic values, strong people-to-people ties, and expanding cooperation across diverse sectors.”
According to a statement from the Canadian Prime Minister’s Office, Carney is scheduled to meet leading business figures in Mumbai before traveling 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 (AI), talent and culture, and defence. He will also meet with business leaders to identify investment opportunities in Canada and create new partnerships between businesses in both nations,” the statement said.
While in New Delhi, Carney will also attend the India-Canada CEOs’ Forum, aimed at deepening commercial collaboration.
The Canadian Prime Minister’s Office highlighted India’s growing global role, describing it as the world’s fastest-growing major economy and a powerhouse in global commerce and technology. India was Canada’s seventh-largest goods and services trading partner in 2024, with two-way trade reaching $30.8 billion.
Modi and Carney previously met on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg last November. Following that meeting, Modi noted that India and Canada had set a target of $50 billion in bilateral trade by 2030.
“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 posted on X at the time, adding that there was strong potential to expand trade and investment linkages.
Diplomatic engagement has also intensified in recent months. Earlier this month, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand met External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference in Germany.
In a press release, the Canadian government said, “This marks the fifth meeting between the ministers since September 2025, reflecting the growing momentum in the Canada-India relationship, building on more than 75 years of diplomatic relations and strong people-to-people ties.” The statement said the ministers discussed deeper cooperation in energy, technology, and trade, and “affirmed the shared technological benefits and significant partnership opportunities for both countries’ businesses, industries, and workers.”
Both sides also underscored progress on a joint road map for bilateral relations and reiterated their commitment to strengthening economic resilience and stability through expanded and diversified trade.
Carney’s visit is widely viewed as an effort to reset and stabilize a relationship that remains strategically important for both nations, particularly as India’s economic influence continues to expand on the global stage. (Source: IANS)
