India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar will pay a visit to Canada next week, marking a definitive step in the restoration of trust between the two countries. His visit comes months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney met in July to lay out the road map for a diplomatic reset after a turbulent period.
Jaishankar will also participate in the G7 Foreign Ministers Meeting in Ontario’s Niagara region on November 11–12, hosted by Canada under its G7 presidency. The meeting will also place emphasis on security, economic resilience and shared prosperity all issues that are integral to India’s foreign policy priorities.
Rebuilding Bridges Through Dialogue
The visit from Jaishankar follows a series of quiet but strategic engagements between New Delhi and Ottawa in recent months. In October, the visit by Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand was a significant moment with the first by a Canadian cabinet minister in two years.
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She met with Jaishankar and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and was even received by Prime Minister Modi, underscoring India’s willingness to engage. The meetings led to a revival of key bilateral mechanisms such as the Energy Dialogue and the Joint Science and Technology Cooperation Committee, considered pillars of a renewed partnership.
From Discord to Diplomatic Recovery
Relations between India and Canada had reached an all time low in 2023–24 when then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pointed the finger at India for involvement in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Khalistani separatist whom New Delhi labels a terrorist.
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India emphatically rejected those allegations as baseless, setting off a diplomatic standoff that included the withdrawal of high commissioners from both countries. That tone changed dramatically after Mark Carney won his election in early 2025. Carney, during his campaign, had promised to repair ties with India through pragmatism and cooperation rather than confrontation.
Setting the Stage for Lasting Reset
The turning point reportedly came after a phone conversation between Jaishankar and Anand on May 29, which was followed by the invitation to India at the G7 Summit in June. By August, both countries had reinstated their high commissioners, followed by a series of security and foreign office consultations in September.
Now, Jaishankar’s visit consolidates that progress, offering both countries an opportunity to change a once frozen relationship into a forward-looking one that is based on mutual respect, common democratic values and global cooperation.
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Disclaimer: This article is based on verified reports and diplomatic sources. It aims to inform and does not represent any government’s official stance.
