From cold to cooperation: India and Canada rekindle partnership

India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Canadian counterpart Anita Anand on Monday, October 13, agreed to a new roadmap to strengthen bilateral ties and directed their respective teams to begin implementation.

Key areas of cooperation outlined in the roadmap include security, trade, investment, agriculture, science and technology, artificial intelligence (AI), civil nuclear cooperation, critical minerals and energy.

Both Ministers acknowledged that a strong India-Canada relationship is important amid global economic uncertainty and rising geopolitical tensions.

“Reviving this partnership will not only create opportunities for enhancing economic cooperation, but will also help mitigate vulnerabilities arising from changes in global alliances, ensure more reliable supply chains, and strengthen strategic stability in an increasingly complex international environment,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a joint statement.

Resumption of Canada-India CEO Forum

They agreed to relaunch the Canada-India CEO Forum, which will convene business leaders from both countries to recommend strategies to promote trade and investment in clean technology, infrastructure, agri-food and digital innovation.

Bilateral trade between India and Canada to reach $23.66 billion in 2024. The two Ministers noted the growing presence of Indian and Canadian enterprises in each other’s markets.

On climate action, both sides committed to cooperate across a wide range of areas, including expanding renewable energy capacity, decarbonizing heavy industries, reducing plastic pollution, managing chemicals responsibly and promoting sustainable consumption.

Critical Minerals Annual Colloquium

They also agreed to re-establish the Canada-India Ministerial Energy Dialogue (CIMED), promote two-way trade in LNG and LPG, and encourage investment in oil and gas exploration and production.

The meeting concluded with the decision to hold the first Critical Minerals Annual Dialogue in Toronto on the sidelines of the Prospectors and Developers Association Conference in March 2026.

The meeting is Minister Anand’s first official visit to India since assuming the role of External Affairs Minister in May 2025. The two ministers have maintained regular phone contact regarding bilateral relations.

Renewal of India-Canada bilateral cooperation

India and Canada have made progress through several mechanisms in recent months, including a meeting between their national security advisors in New Delhi on September 18.

Jaishankar stressed the role of foreign ministers in guiding the renewal of bilateral cooperation: “Our responsibility as foreign ministers is to take forward the process of rebuilding our cooperation with the interests of our peoples and the respective Prime Ministers in mind. As PM Modi said during his meeting with PM Carney, India’s approach is to move forward with a positive mindset.”

“We want to de-risk the international economy today by building strong partnerships of increasing breadth and depth,” he said.

Indian High Commissioner to Canada Dinesh K Patnaik also attended the meeting.