After more than two years of strained diplomatic ties, Prime Minister Mark Carney will be traveling to India in the coming weeks as both nations seek to broaden their trading partnerships amid U. S. President Donald Trump’s trade conflicts.
India’s High Commissioner to Canada, Dinesh Patnaik, informed CBC’s Power & Politics host David Cochrane that the visit is set for after India presents its budget on February 1.
Patnaik mentioned that these renewed diplomatic connections indicate that “trust is back in the system,” and diplomats are now “catching up” on work that was delayed during what he described as a “slight gap” in relations.
This gap emerged when former prime minister Justin Trudeau claimed that Indian agents were involved in the extrajudicial killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil in 2023.
The RCMP also accused agents of the Indian government of being linked to homicides, extortion, and threats within Canada.
The allegations resulted in a significant freeze in Canada-India relations, which has only recently begun to thaw.
The government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has denied any involvement in extrajudicial killings occurring in Canada.
“We have always said it’s preposterous, absurd. It’s something we don’t do,” stated Patnaik.
Four men, all Indian nationals who came to Canada several years ago, have been accused of carrying out Nijjar’s murder.
“There is no case against the Government of India,” Patnaik noted, adding that these accusations were made by a prime minister who is “no longer here.”
“There’s a new prime minister who is changing the way Canada behaves,” said Patnaik.
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U. S. tariffs spark discussions
Carney’s trip follows an agreement between both leaders to initiate negotiations for a new trade deal known as a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), announced during their meeting at the G20 Summit held in South Africa last November. At that time, Carney’s office confirmed he had accepted Modi’s invitation for a visit “in early 2026.” Both Canada and India are currently facing high U. S. tariffs – with India dealing with tariffs as high as 50 percent due partly to its purchases of Russian oil. “Both countries need each other,” Patnaik remarked. “I think both prime ministers recognized that.” Patnaik expressed his hopes for Canada and India to “move the envelope forward” on key areas like energy, fertilizers, agri-foods, innovation, R& D, aerospace, and defense. When asked if they might sign a trade deal by year-end, Patnaik indicated that progress on these topics and being “near” signing would be an achievement itself.Ministers on trade missions
Carney’s upcoming visit will follow diplomatic trips made by various ministers from his team to India including Federal Energy Minister Tim Hodgson and Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon later this month, along with Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand and International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu late last year. This marks another sign that relations are improving as Carney aims to reset ties under his leadership while addressing Trump’s tariffs concerns. This Tuesday Carney will head off to China for a similar trade mission following years of rocky diplomatic relations with that country.Source link
